NEAPOLITAN SWEET CASATIELLO with criscito, original ancient Easter recipe from grandmother for breakfast or snack, typical dessert of Monte di Procida, in the Flegrean Fields.
The Neapolitan Sweet Casatiello with criscito is an authentic delicacy of the Neapolitan Easter tradition. Originating from Monte di Procida, a village in the Flegrean Fields, this dessert recalls rural roots and culinary art passed down from generation to generation.
Its history is deeply rooted in the past, when grandmothers would prepare this dessert with love and dedication, passing down kitchen secrets and traditions from mother to daughter. Although less famous than its savory counterpart, the Sweet Casatiello remains a delight to enjoy on any occasion, especially for breakfast.
Its texture is unique: a dense and compact crumb, enriched by the criscito that gives it a crunchy and irresistible touch. As the days go by, its flavor becomes even richer, making it increasingly inviting. Covered with a sugary glaze that makes it even more delicious, the Sweet Casatiello is a real pleasure for the palate.
You can enjoy it in many ways: dipped in milk for a hearty breakfast or simply on its own as a delicious snack during the day.
The Montese casatiello is a dessert of ancient origins not to be confused with the Casertan Easter pigna HERE, similar but different in ingredients and preparation.
Follow me in the kitchen today there’s the Neapolitan sweet casatiello.
Published 03/04/2013 18:03
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Very economical
- Rest time: 3 Days
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 8-10
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 382.27 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 61.15 (g) of which sugars 32.36 (g)
- Proteins 8.32 (g)
- Fat 11.68 (g) of which saturated 4.63 (g)of which unsaturated 6.41 (g)
- Fibers 1.01 (g)
- Sodium 78.70 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 50 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
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 1.25 cups sugar
- 3.5 oz sourdough starter (or criscito)
- 1 orange juice
- 1 shot Strega liqueur
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 9 tbsps lard
- 4 eggs (optional)
- 1 egg white
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 drops lemon juice
- to taste glitter sugars (diavulilli)
Steps
P.S. the ancient casatiello is made with criscito which is different from sourdough, criscito is a sort of pre-ferment that is refreshed 3 times you can see it HERE obviously you can use sourdough HERE
Additional note 02/28/21 I knead by hand, the casatiello dough needs to be “beaten” with the right hand, a robot can be used but even when I made 5 a day I always worked by hand.
With criscito, the dessert follows the rule of 3, 3 days for the yeast (criscito) 3 days for the dough and 3 days to rise, with sourdough the days are reduced to 6-7
Criscito, the yeast, must be prepared 2 days in advance, and on the third day, it can be used for casatiello.
In the evening, pour the sourdough or criscito, one egg, a tablespoon of flour and one of sugar into a bowl, mix and let rest overnight, the dough turns out creamy, liquid.
The next day, after 24 hours, repeat the operation, add the same ingredients to the mixture, i.e. one egg, one tablespoon of sugar and one of flour, mix again, cover and let it rest.
After 12 hours add the rest of the flour, sugar, lard, the other two eggs, the flavors and continue working, by hand or with a robot.
Work by beating the mixture with the right hand, it is soft and very sticky. Of course, if you prefer, you can use a stand mixer.
Grease a mold with lard, without flour and fill it with the dough, if you like, add the 4 whole, raw eggs with the shell inside (I don’t put them).
Cover with plastic wrap and a blanket and let it rest in a warm place until the dough is almost at the edge of the mold.
Generally, it rises after 2-3 days with sourdough, with criscito on the third day it should be baked, but due to climatic variations, it may rise more slowly, but on the fourth day you must bake.
After the time has passed, bake in a hot oven at 350°F for about 1 hour, static oven, avoid the fan oven, it dries too much, do a toothpick test in multiple spots before removing from the oven.
If you extend the cooking times, lower the temperature and cover with aluminum, then remove from the oven and let cool.
Whip the egg white until stiff, add the powdered sugar and a couple of drops of lemon juice, mix well then cover the casatiello and decorate with colored sugars.
This dessert is better after a few days and can be kept for a couple of weeks, keep in mind that once it rises, it needs to be baked.
Bon appétit
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The Neapolitan casatiello is a simple and “poor” cake made of flour, sugar, eggs, yeast, and flavors, and it keeps for a long time, great in milk.
This NEAPOLITAN CASATIELLO from 2013 was prepared after Christmas, I let it rise until it doubled and it took almost 15 days.
ADDITIONAL NOTE 04/14/22 this year the casatiello rose immediately, the day after the last dough I had to bake, it rose in less than 24 hours.
If desired, you can opt for brewer’s yeast, but it’s not the same thing.
You can also ask your trusted baker to give you some sourdough (sourdough starter) or more specifically a sort of old dough.
I made so many, about 15 in 2019, my father liked it very much too, in 2020 I made about 10-11, in any case they were all excellent and you can see them at the end of the video.
ATTENTION IN THE VIDEO I INDICATED 12 HOURS OF REST, IT’S 24 HOURS
24 hours first rest, second rest 24 hours (it’s the same as the first day) then after 12 hours you add all the other ingredients.
Sweet Casatiello Neapolitan original ancient grandmother recipe
P.s. you can be generous with cinnamon, but remember you’ll have a darker cake, not everyone likes it.
At my home, my husband prefers it with criscito, my daughter with sourdough, my son doesn’t mind, so I have to make both versions, at least 5 casatielli are for them.
The casatiello was born from the peasant need to consume the eggs that the hens laid in abundance, the most comfortable and good method was the dessert for breakfast.
Thus, a sort of leavened cake was created containing whole eggs, symbolizing the resurrection of Christ inside.
Sweet Casatiello Neapolitan
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FAQ (Questions and Answers) Neapolitan Sweet Casatiello
What is Neapolitan Sweet Casatiello?
The Neapolitan Sweet Casatiello is a sweet cake made from leavened dough containing ingredients such as eggs, flour, sugar, and lard.
What are the main ingredients?
The main ingredients include flour, yeast, eggs, sugar, and lard.
How is Casatiello prepared?
The preparation of Casatiello involves creating a leavened dough, usually and traditionally done by hand but a robot is also fine.
When is the Neapolitan Sweet Casatiello traditionally consumed?
The Sweet Casatiello is often associated with Easter holidays in Naples, particularly on Easter day.
How is the Sweet Casatiello served?
It is usually sliced, and each slice can be accompanied by coffee or sweet wine, depending on personal preferences.
How can I replace criscito?
You can use sourdough, or licoli, I do not recommend brewer’s yeast.
