Neapolitan Casatiello

The Casatiello is a typical Neapolitan rustic pie, traditionally prepared during the Easter period. Here is the recipe for the Neapolitan Casatiello:

Ingredients

• 500 g of flour
• 25 g of fresh brewer’s yeast
• 200 g of lard
• 150 g of grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 150 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 150 g of cubed Neapolitan salami
• 150 g of cubed smoked provolone cheese
• 4 whole eggs + 1 for brushing
• A pinch of ground black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1 egg yolk for brushing the surface of the casatiello
• 5 hard-boiled eggs for decoration

Preparation

1. Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in some lukewarm water.
2. In a large bowl, pour the flour and make a well in the center where you will add the dissolved yeast, 50 g of lard, a pinch of salt, and about 200 ml of lukewarm water. Start kneading, gradually adding water until you get a smooth and elastic dough.
3. Work the dough on a floured surface, then form it into a ball, place it in a bowl, and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm place without drafts for about 3 hours or until the dough has doubled in volume.
4. When the dough has doubled in volume, take it back and start adding the rest of the lard, the grated cheeses, salami, smoked provolone, and black pepper, kneading again to distribute them evenly.
5. Roll out the dough into a rectangle on a floured pastry board.
6. Roll the dough up on itself to form a sausage shape, then join the ends together to create a ring.
7. Butter and flour a ring cake mold with a central hole, and lay the dough inside it. Place a hard-boiled egg, well cleaned, at the corners of the ring, securing them with strips of parchment paper to keep them in position.
8. Let it rise again until it has doubled in volume, then brush the dough with a beaten egg yolk.
9. Bake the Casatiello in a preheated oven at 180 °C (356 °F) for about 1 hour or until it is golden brown on the surface.
10. Let the Casatiello cool before serving.

The Casatiello can be enjoyed both warm and cold, and keeps well for several days. The peculiarity of this dish is the abundant use of lard and cheese, which give it a rich taste, and the decoration with hard-boiled eggs symbolize rebirth and the Easter holiday.