The savory colomba with olives and scamorza is a rustic and flavorful variant of the famous Easter cake, transformed into a soft leavened preparation, ideal to serve during the holidays. With its iconic shape and tasty, stringy filling, it conquers at the first bite and is perfect to enrich the Easter table with a creative touch.
Unlike the sweet colomba, this savory version is made with a soft leavened dough, enriched with olives and scamorza, but can also be personalized with cured meats, vegetables, or other cheeses. It is ideal as a appetizer, main dish, or to bring to the Easter Monday picnic, because it can be prepared in advance and stays soft for a long time.
A scenographic but simple recipe to make, that combines tradition with creativity in the kitchen, perfect to surprise your guests during the Easter holidays.
This recipe is from my dear friend Sonia from the blog StatusMamma
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 5 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 1 COLOMBA
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients for the savory colomba with olives and scamorza:
- 2 cups Manitoba flour
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 medium eggs (at room temperature)
- 7 tbsps soft butter
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsps fine salt
- 9 oz scamorza cheese
- 5 oz black olives
Tools for the savory colomba with olives and scamorza:
- 1 Oven
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Rolling Board
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Baking Tray dove shape
Steps for the savory colomba with olives and scamorza:
For this recipe, we recommend using a stand mixer to obtain a homogeneous dough; alternatively, knead by hand for a long time, folding the dough for extra strength.
In a bowl, place the active dry yeast, add half of the milk and the granulated sugar, stir well and let sit for about 5 minutes.
In the mixer bowl, sift the two flours, turn on the appliance and gradually add the milk with the dissolved yeast, when it begins to blend with the flour, add the remaining milk (gradually), the 2 slightly beaten eggs (gradually), and the salt.
Let it work until the ingredients are well combined, then add the butter little by little, adding more only when the previous piece has been absorbed by the dough.
Once you have a smooth and homogeneous dough, place it in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 2 hours, ideally in the oven with just the light on.
While your dough is rising, dice the scamorza (either smoked or regular), then dry the pitted black olives well and cut them in half.
After 2 hours, place the dough on a lightly floured rolling board and add the diced cheese and black olives, work the mixture well to obtain a uniform dough.
Divide the dough into two parts (one larger than the other), with the larger part, form a roll and place it in the central part of the dove-shaped mold (made of paper for 1kg or a 14×10 inch baking tray as we used), then with the remaining dough form another roll, divide it in half, and place each half on the sides of the central one.
Let it rise for 2/3 hours until the dough reaches about the height of the baking tray or mold.
Bake your savory colomba at 350°F (180°C) for about 35/40 minutes, it should be golden.
Serve the colomba warm or at room temperature.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use a different cheese instead of scamorza?
Yes, you can substitute it with other stringy cheeses like provolone, caciocavallo, or well-drained mozzarella. Emmental and fontina are also excellent alternatives.
Can I prepare it in advance?
Yes, the savory colomba keeps well for 1–2 days at room temperature, well covered. You can also warm it briefly before serving.
Can it be frozen?
Absolutely yes! I suggest freezing it already cooked and sliced, so you can thaw only the desired amount and heat it in the oven or air fryer.
Can I add cured meats?
Certainly, just cut them into cubes.
