The Neapolitan casatiello is one of the savory preparations from the Campania tradition that I love most, especially at Easter.
My grandmother used to make it with my mom when I was little, and I have wonderful memories tied to that aroma in the kitchen.
Today my mom and I keep this Easter ritual alive with our homemade casatiello recipe, soft and full of flavor.
Let’s go to the kitchen — I’ll walk you through our version step by step… because every family has its own!
The Neapolitan casatiello is a traditional Easter savory bread, rich with cured meats and cheeses, and perfect to prepare in advance.
If you love casatiello, also try these homemade savory leavened breads:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 1 Day
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Portions: 10 Servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter, All seasons
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this recipe
- 6 cups flour (I used "type 1" but 0 or 00 also work)
- 1 7/8 cups water (450 ml)
- 0.56 oz fresh baker's yeast (about 16 g — or about 1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (30 g)
- 1 2/3 tsp fine salt (10 g)
- 7 oz cooked ham (200 g)
- 7.8 oz salami (about 220 g — I used a "cacciatore" type, but use whichever you prefer)
- 7 oz pancetta (streaky) (200 g)
- 10.6 oz provolone (300 g)
- 1 cup pecorino (grated — about 3.5 oz / 100 g)
Tools
To prepare the casatiello you can use some useful kitchen tools. Below are the ones I usually use, with a direct link to buy them online.
- 1 Pastry board
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Pan / Baking tin
- 1 Knife
Steps
Take a bowl and pour in the water at room temperature together with the yeast, stirring to dissolve it.
Add the oil and then the flour (you can use type 0 or 00), then add the salt.
Mix well with a fork until you obtain a soft, homogeneous dough.
Cover the container with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let it rise for about 50 minutes.
After this time, uncover the dough and perform folds by bringing the dough from the outside toward the center.Cover again and let rise for another 50 minutes.
Repeat this step for a total of 3 risings, essential to obtain a soft Neapolitan casatiello.
In the meantime prepare the filling by cutting the cured meats and cheeses into cubes.
Once the dough is ready, roll it out on a work surface and spread the filling evenly over it.
Fold the dough over itself to form a roll and place it in the baking tin.
Cover and place in the refrigerator to let it rise slowly until the next day.
The next morning remove the tin from the fridge and leave it in the turned-off oven at room temperature until the afternoon.
The dough should slowly grow until around 3:00 PM, completing a total rising time of about 24 hours.
This step is fundamental to obtain a soft and well-aerated Neapolitan casatiello.
At this point preheat the oven to 320°F and, once the temperature is reached, bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Before removing from the oven, always do the toothpick test to check doneness.
The casatiello should bake slowly to obtain a golden crust and a soft interior.
Perfect to enjoy at Easter, the Neapolitan casatiello is even better the next day.
How to store the soft Neapolitan casatiello
Casatiello can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days, covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container to keep it soft.
If temperatures are high, it is recommended to store it in the refrigerator and bring it back to room temperature before serving.
You can also freeze it already sliced, so you’ll always have it ready when needed.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
How long should casatiello rise?
Casatiello requires a long rising time, which can reach up to 24 hours. This step is essential to achieve a soft, well-aerated dough.
How to reheat casatiello?
To enjoy it at its best, you can warm casatiello in the oven at a low temperature for a few minutes to make it soft and fragrant again.
