The Savory Colomba Focaccia is one of those recipes that instantly brings a festive atmosphere. Soft, fragrant and showy, it’s perfect as an Easter starter, for a family lunch or to take as a gift when you’re invited. I’ve been making it for years and it disappears in no time: it’s simple, customizable with whatever you have in the fridge and always makes an impression on the table. Whether you choose a classic version with cheeses and cured meats or a vegetarian variation, this colomba focaccia will be your go-to for Easter and Easter Monday.
The recipe is very simple, but if you’re looking for more ideas, I leave a few below
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 1 paper mold for 1.1 lb (500 g)
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients for the savory Easter colomba
- 3 1/3 cups Manitoba flour
- 1 cup water (room temperature)
- 3 2/3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp honey (or sugar)
- 1 tsp fresh baker's yeast (≈10 g)
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 15 black olives
- 8 cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- to taste dried oregano
Tools
- 1 Food processor Bimby TM31 – TM5 – TM6
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Paper mold for 1.1 lb (500 g) colomba
- Cling film
Preparation of the savory Easter colomba
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
– Made with few ingredients and no difficulties.
– Soft and fragrant, perfect as an Easter centerpiece.
– You can customize it with olives, cherry tomatoes, cheeses or cured meats.
– Stays soft even the next day.
– Ideal for buffets, Easter Monday picnics and aperitifs.WITH BIMBY: 1 – Put the water, the honey (or sugar) and the crumbled fresh yeast into the bowl. Dissolve at speed 2 for 1 minute. (If using frozen fresh yeast, run at speed 2 for 3 minutes at 99°F).
2 – Add the flour, the oil and the salt, knead for 3 minutes on the Dough setting.
3 – The dough should be soft and homogeneous.
WITHOUT BIMBY (with a stand mixer or by hand): Put the fresh yeast in the water with the honey. Stir with a spoon, or with the paddle if using a stand mixer, until dissolved.
Add the flour, the oil and the salt.
Knead by hand or with the dough hook (if using a stand mixer) until you obtain a soft, smooth and homogeneous ball.
4 – Remove the dough from the bowl, shape into a ball and place it in a bowl greased with oil.
Cover with cling film and let rise for at least 2–3 hours.
It should double in volume.
5 – After the time has passed, take the dough, divide it into two parts: one larger to form the central body, and one smaller to be divided in half to form the wings. Take the colomba mold and place the dough inside.
6 – Cover the savory colomba with cling film and let it rest for another hour. Meanwhile, put the halved cherry tomatoes in a bowl and season them with oil, salt and dried oregano. Mix and set aside.
7 – After 1 hour, take the colomba and start decorating it with the cherry tomatoes and olives. Pour over the remaining juice from the small bowl.
BAKING: Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F (conventional) for about 45–50 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool.
You can find the 500 g paper molds for colombe by clicking HERE (Made of high-density pure cellulose, natural and resistant up to 392°F)
TIPS and NOTES
RECOMMENDED VARIATIONS
Cheese and cured meat colomba: provola, scamorza, diced ham or pancetta.
Vegetarian: olives, cherry tomatoes, grilled zucchini, caramelized onions.
Stuffed after baking: slice in half and fill like a sandwich (lettuce, prosciutto, spreadable cheese).
STORAGE
Stays soft for 2–3 days if stored in a food bag.
You can warm it for 5 minutes in the oven to refresh it.
It can be frozen already baked, whole or in slices.
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