The savory Danubio colomba is a leavened rustic bread filled with cold cuts and cheeses, baked in the traditional sweet Easter colomba mold. It makes a delicious alternative to the classic sweet Easter colomba, perfect to serve as an aperitif, starter or for an Easter Monday picnic.
This is a simple recipe, suitable even for beginners. The dough, made with flour, eggs, milk, brewer’s yeast and salt, is worked by hand. Once it has risen, you make many little balls that are stuffed with cooked ham, salami and provola cheese. Following the shape of the colomba mold, the balls are placed inside without any difficulty. Let them rise again until the balls reach the rim of the mold. Finally, brush the surface with beaten egg and sprinkle with chia seeds for a decorative and inviting touch.
This year, together with the Easter pie (torta pasqualina), the savory Danubio and other Easter baked goods you will find on the blog, you can enrich your table with these delights.
Now let’s hurry to the kitchen and prepare the savory Danubio colomba together!
BELOW YOU WILL FIND OTHER RECIPES FOR EASTER DAY.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Hours
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Servings
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter Monday, Easter
Ingredients to prepare the savory Danubio colomba
- 4 1/2 cups 00 (double‑bleached) flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 0.5 oz fresh brewer's yeast
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 5.3 oz cooked ham
- 7 oz provola cheese
- 3.5 oz salami
- 1 egg
- to taste chia seeds
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Colomba mold
- 1 Brush
Steps to prepare the savory Danubio colomba
In a small bowl, dissolve the fresh brewer’s yeast in lukewarm milk. Mix well and set aside.
In a large bowl, pour the flour and add the lukewarm milk with the dissolved yeast. Add one teaspoon of sugar and the vegetable oil.
Mix slightly, add the salt and the egg. Work the mixture with a fork for a few minutes.
If you can’t work the dough well with a fork, knead it with a stand mixer or simply with your hands as I did. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for at least 3 hours, or until it has doubled in volume. Times may vary depending on ambient temperature.
While the dough rises, cut the cold cuts and the provola into cubes and set them aside.
After the rising time, take the dough and separate pieces of about 40 g (about 1.4 oz) each. Slightly flatten each ball and fill with cooked ham, salami and provola. Seal the edges and form a ball. Place the balls into the paper colomba mold, trying to fill all sides.
Let the colomba rise again for about an hour in a warm place, or until the dough reaches the rim of the mold.
Preheat the oven to 356°F (fan-assisted, 180°C). Gently brush the surface with beaten egg and sprinkle with chia seeds. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the surface is nicely golden. If the surface browns too quickly, cover it with parchment paper.
Once baked, remove the colomba from the oven and let it cool completely.
And here it is ready: beautiful, soft and flavorful.
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Big kisses, SEE YOU IN THE NEXT RECIPE!!!
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
Can I fill the savory Danubio colomba with other ingredients?
Of course, you can customize the filling according to your tastes or what you have in the fridge.
Can I prepare the dough in advance and let it rise in the fridge?
Yes, it is possible! For a slower, more controlled fermentation, you can let the dough rise in the refrigerator for 8–12 hours. In this case, remember to take the dough out of the refrigerator at least one hour before working it so it returns to room temperature.
