Imagine a bread so rich that it doesn't need butter, so tasty that it can replace a meal on its own, and a recipe so rooted in local tradition that it becomes the symbol of an entire season. In Naples, Easter, or Easter Monday, simply cannot exist without casatiello.
Many flavors and aromas of local cuisine come together and meet history, culture and even religion, to create a delight whose irresistible scent spreads through the houses from the time the casatiello is in the oven and when it is finally ready... no one can resist it! While you stroll through the picturesque alleys or along the wonderful seafront, also have fun discovering what is casatiello and why Naples loves it so much.
What is Casatiello: the origin story
To really understand what casatiello is, we need to take a very long step back. How exactly this savory donut was born is unknown. Its origins are lost in time, but according to tradition it was born in the humblest kitchens, where all the available ingredients were used to transform simple bread into something tastier and much more substantial.
However, the castiello is not just bread, and it is not even just another Easter tradition. More than anything else, it is a symbol of rebirth and hope that brings joy and invites sharing. The reference to the Christian religion is also strong, starting from its round shape which is not at all random. The reference is in fact to the crown of thorns worn by Jesus, which is seen in the typical processions of Good Friday. For the same reason the boiled eggs decorating the surface are fixed wit strips of dough in the shape of a cross.
Is casatiello sweet or savory? Ingredients spotlight
How exactly is made the famous Easter bread of Naples? The ingredients used are definitely common in Italy, but their union creates an original mix, which can be as appetizing as it is unusual for foreign visitors.
The dough made of water, flour, yeast and lard is combined with salami and cracklings, plus various fresh and aged cheeses. Provolone, pecorino and parmesan are the main protagonists together with hard-boiled eggs that cannot be missing on the top of the donut, since they are responsible for the particular decoration that characterizes the typical Neapolitan casatiello.
In any case, the final result is a symphony of flavors that will make your mouth water.
How to make casatiello at home
Now that you know what casatiello is, you will want to try it. The good news is that it is definitely possible to make it at home, since in Naples, at Easter, it is commonly prepared in all families.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
600 g of 00 flour
300 ml of water
25 g of brewer's yeast
200 g of lard
100 g of grated parmesan and pecorino cheese
200 g of Neapolitan salami and cracklings
150 g of semi-spicy provolone
4 eggs for decoration
a pinch of salt and pepper.
Method:
prepare the dough with flour, salt, yeast dissolved in warm water and lard, working it well until it becomes smooth and elastic. Let it rise under a cloth for about an hour, or until it doubles in size.
Flatten the dough into a more or less rectangular shape, add the provolone and the diced cured meats, the grated cheeses and a handful of pepper. Roll the dough up and then place it in a well-greased donut mold so that it doesn't stick. Somebody adds boiled eggs to the rolled dough too, but no matter what, according to tradition four boiled eggs should never miss on the surface, where they get secured with cross-shaped strips of dough. Now let it all rise again under a cloth for another hour or so.
Finally, it's time to bake! Put the casatiello in a preheated oven at 200°C for about forty minutes, or until golden.
Where to find casatiello in Naples
If you are lucky enough to spend your Easter holidays in Naples, or even if you are there in the days before, you will find casatiello basically everywhere. Certainly the local cuisine offers so many delicacies that tasting them all is difficult, but at this time of year it is mandatory to make some room for at least a slice of casatiello!
Even supermarkets have it for sale, but for a dive into the most authentic local culinary tradition, it is even better to try the one you can find in the windows of all the bakeries shops. From the most renowned shops to the smallest ones, everyone sells casatiello, whole or in single slices, handcrafted according to the classic recipe.
It is also not uncommon to find it in restaurants that serve typical cuisine, in the old town, but certainly elsewhere too.
The cultural significance of the casatiello
If it is true throughout Italy that traditions are always loved and respected, this is perhaps even more true in Naples where the casatiello, together with the pastiera, cannot be missing from the Easter table also because it is basically a family ritual.
Preparing the casatiello together is already part of the celebration and the time spent in the kitchen becomes an important part of family memories for everyone. This is how the original recipe is passed down from generation to generation, without needing to be transcribed and without any variation.
The celebrated Neapolitan Easter bread is also a fundamental part of another timeless tradition of this period: the
Easter Monday trips. On the Monday after Easter, Neapolitans invariably treat themselves to a day in the open air with a picnic, based, of course, on casatiello!
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