The easy Neapolitan casatiello is much more than a simple recipe: it is a symbol of home, of celebration and of tradition that spans generations.
In Naples we make it at Easter; it’s a rich, fragrant savory bread that conveys the most authentic Neapolitan cuisine, made of gestures passed down through generations and simple but generous ingredients.
Flour, lard, cured meats, cheeses and the indispensable eggs on top: every element has a meaning and helps create a dish that smells like family and togetherness.
As a food organizer, I like to think of casatiello also as a recipe that teaches the value of planning in the kitchen. It requires rising times, a bit of patience and careful selection of ingredients, but precisely for that reason it becomes a moment to dedicate calmly to preparation.
It’s one of those recipes that fills the home with aroma and the table with stories, perfect to share with loved ones.
For Easter also try:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 8 Servings
- Cooking methods: Electric oven, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Campania
- Seasonality: Easter Monday, Easter
- Energy 743.44 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 47.11 (g) of which sugars 3.47 (g)
- Proteins 34.34 (g)
- Fat 47.32 (g) of which saturated 20.04 (g)of which unsaturated 23.39 (g)
- Fibers 2.25 (g)
- Sodium 1,806.04 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Easy Neapolitan Casatiello
(for a 9.5–10.25 inch pan)
- 4 cups Type 0 flour (all-purpose flour)
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 2/3 cup lard (sugna)
- 1 packet active dry yeast (or one cube of fresh yeast)
- 1 2/3 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 5.3 oz Neapolitan salami (diced)
- 5.3 oz ciccioli (Neapolitan pork cracklings)
- 5.3 oz sharp provolone
- 3.5 oz pecorino cheese
- to taste black pepper
- 4 eggs
Tools for the easy casatiello
- 1 Bowl large bowl
- 1 Baking pan ring baking pan for savory breads
- 1 Cutting board stainless steel cutting board
- 1 Knife kitchen knife
Procedure
You can make it by hand or with a stand mixer.
– In a large bowl pour the flour, the yeast and the sugar and start mixing, adding the water little by little (alternatively dissolve fresh yeast and sugar in warm water).
– Add the softened lard, the salt and a pinch of pepper. Work the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic.
– Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, until it doubles in volume.
– After this time, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 3/8 inch thick, keeping a little bit aside for decoration.
– Cut the salami, ciccioli and provolone with a knife. Grate the pecorino.
– Distribute everything evenly over the rolled-out dough.
– Roll the dough onto itself forming a cylinder and place it in a well-greased ring pan with the seam facing down; this way it won’t open during baking.
– Let rise again for about 1 hour.
– Place the raw eggs on top of the dough and secure them with two crossed strips of dough. Spread a little more lard over the entire surface of the casatiello.Bake in a conventional oven at 356°F for 50 minutes on the lowest rack and 5-10 minutes on the top rack, until it is nicely golden.
Let it cool until slightly warm before unmolding: casatiello is even better the next day.
Tips from a Food Organizer
Casatiello is one of those recipes perfect to plan ahead: in fact, it’s often even better the next day, because the flavors have time to meld. With a bit of planning you can prepare it stress-free and enjoy the celebration:
1: You can knead the casatiello in the evening, shape it and place it in the pan. Cover well with plastic wrap and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. The next day just take it out about 1 hour before baking, add the eggs and bake.
2: To save time, you can cut salami, cheeses and ciccioli 1–2 days in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
3: Casatiello is ideal to prepare on Saturday for the Easter table or the Easter Monday picnic. Once baked, let it cool well and wrap it in parchment paper or a kitchen towel.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How can I store Neapolitan Casatiello?
It keeps for 2–3 days at room temperature, covered and away from heat sources.
You can also slice it and keep it well covered: it will be ready to bring to the table or to the Easter Monday picnic.
