Neapolitan casatiello: the typical savory pie of the Easter period

The Neapolitan casatiello is a rustic savory stuffed with salami and pecorino cheese and garnished with eggs, a must at the table during the Easter holidays.

Today we prepare the recipe of the Neapolitan casatiello, a rustic that is often served at Easter, very similar to the tortano. This savory pie is nothing but a leavened product enriched with cubes of salami, pecorino and decorated with eggs.

The substantial difference between tortano and casatiello lies in the use of eggs: in casatiello they are placed on top of the ends of the savory donut , and then fixed with a cross of pasta, which takes on a Christian symbolism. In the tortano , on the other hand, the eggs are an integral part of the filling. There are those who say, however, that the real difference lies in another aspect of the filling: in ancient times, the casatiello seems to have been prepared only with "poor" and easier to find products : such as lard, eggs and lard. Instead, the tortano was more gourmet in preparation, the prerogative of the richest families , and therefore also seasoned with cold cuts and cheeses.

But enough talk, what are we waiting for? Let's see how to prepare this rustic Neapolitan: here is the original recipe of the salty casatiello!

How to make Neapolitan salty casatiello with the original recipe

1. Start by taking a large bowl and mix the oil and lard. Mix well with a fork until a fairly liquid cream is obtained.
2. Now add the yeast previously dissolved in water with salt and pepper and continue to mix with a fork.
3. Gradually add the flour, gently mixing the ingredients to mix well.
4. Work the dough energetically and when you have obtained a homogeneous mixture, let it rise for at least 2 hours.
5. When the necessary time has passed, take a small part of the dough that you will need for later and roll out the rest on your floured work surface.
6. Arrange the pecorino pieces and the salami cut into small squares in the center. Finally, roll up the dough for real Neapolitan casatiello.
7. Take a lightly greased and floured donut mold and place the roll inside, joining the two ends .
8. Place the raw eggs on the surface and seal them with pasta crosses.
9. Let it rise in the pan for about 1 hour.
10. Finally, bake in the oven at 180°C for about fifty minutes .

If, on the other hand, you have the legendary little robot , here's how to make the casatiello with the Thermomix ! Did you know that you can also prepare it as a dessert ? Here is the recipe for the sweet casatiello .

Homemade rustic casatiello: all the variations to try

In addition to the traditional filling, for the filling, you can indulge yourself a little with the cold cuts and cheese you prefer . Naples-type salami should never be missing, but you can enrich it with pancetta, guanciale, provola, scamorza and many other cold cuts and cheeses that you like. The only tip? Do not use mozzarella or other moist dairy products, they will wet the dough and ruin your Easter casatiello.

A curiosity: in Naples they say “ Yes, really 'nu casatiello! ” to indicate a somewhat heavy, difficult person, precisely this preparation. It will actually be difficult to digest this dish, but on the other hand we assure you that once you taste it you won't be able to stop. Even children are crazy about it, especially for the decorative and edible eggs found on the surface. The eggs will have become hard-boiled after a long time in the oven and therefore absolutely good to eat… mati by adding a pinch of salt.

If you want to learn more, however, here are all our proposals for your Easter menu and many other Easter appetizers !

storage

Store in a cool place for 3/4 days maximum. If desired, after cooking the casatiello, you can also freeze it in slices and defrost it if necessary.