Casatiello Napoletano - Italian Stuffed Easter Bread

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Casatiello is a delicious soft Italian Easter bread, stuffed with salami and cheese and topped with whole eggs - perfect for your Easter table!

Casatiello - stuffed Italian Easter bread on a plate with a knife to the side

Looking for a traditional Italian recipe to make for your Easter celebration? Casatiello, or Italian Easter bread with meat and cheese, is the perfect addition. This tasty donut-shaped bread recipe originated in Naples, and is made with dough stuffed with salami and cheese.

Here's why you should be making casatiello this Easter season:

It's an Italian classic. If you're into traditional Italian cooking, this is a good recipe to make. It dates back hundreds of years and is sure to impress your Italian (and non-Italian!) family and friends.
It has amazing flavor. This casatiello napoletano recipe is filled with salami and cheese...what's not to love about that? It's decadent and filling, and also pairs perfectly with other Easter classics.
It's easy to adjust. You can customize this recipe to your liking. Use whatever meats and cheeses that you have on hand!

Ingredients

Casatiello bread features two main parts: the dough and the filling. Here's an overview of the ingredients that you'll need to make it:

For the dough: To make casatiello dough, you'll need all-purpose flour, lukewarm water, traditional active dry yeast, lard, and salt.

For the filling: You'll need 3 cups of cubed salami and 3 cups of cheese (mix of pecorino and provolone) to make the delicious filling come together. Additionally, 4 eggs are used to top the bread with and brush over the surface.

Origins

The history of casatiello goes back hundreds of years, which is why it's a true Italian classic! It is said to have originated in Naples, and there is evidence that it was served as far back as ancient Greece.

Historically, casatiello is not actually served on Easter Sunday. Rather, it is served on Holy Saturday (but not any earlier than that). Then, it is taken off the table during lunchtime Easter Monday.

The reasoning behind offering casatiello no earlier than Holy Saturday is due to the expression: "S'adda sciogliere a' Gloria". This is a reference to the end of the Easter Triduum, or days of mourning, on Easter Sunday. Once the Easter candle is lit and church bells start ringing, fasting ends and celebrations starts, including the serving of foods like neopolitan Easter bread!

Why Casatiello on Easter?

While Italian Easter bread is incredibly delicious, it is symbolic in many ways, including the following:

The bread has a circular shape and includes eggs, which are symbols of the Resurrection of Christ.
Pecorino cheese is a key ingredient, which is made from sheep's milk--this symbolizes the sacrifice of lambs to God in the Old Testament.
When making classic casatiello, the bread is topped with strips of dough that form a cross.

These symbolic elements are the reasons why this Easter recipe has been passed down from generation to generation.

Fillings

The filling of casatiello bread is what makes it unique and flavorful. Traditionally, it is made neopolitan style with salami and pecorino romano. My recipe includes provolone cheese as well.

Another classic ingredient that you can add is ciccioli, which are pressed cakes of fatty pork.

The beauty of this dish is that you can stick with the traditional fillings or create your own. Some options include mortadella, prosciutto, or different cheeses. The possibilities are endless!

How to make casatiello: step-by-step

Start by making the casatiello dough:

Measure out the lukewarm water in a measuring cup. Add the yeast to the cup and stir together.
Let the yeast bloom (rise to the top of the water), which takes about 5-10 minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the water/yeast mixture.
Add the lard. Start mixing with the dough hook on low speed and start adding the flour slowly.
Once all the flour is added, add the salt and pepper to the mixture.
Continue mixing for 10 minutes on medium speed.
Cover the bowl with a tea towel. Place in the oven with the light on to rise for 3 hours.

Once the dough rises, it's time to form the casatiello with the filling. Here's how you'll do that:

Remove a small piece of dough from the larger piece and set it aside. Roll out the dough on a flat floured surface, into a square shape, about 19x19 inches.
Cover the surface of the dough with the salami and cheese.
Roll the dough up, tightening it as much as possible.
Place the rolled-up dough, so that the ends meet, into a ring pan or bundt pan that has been greased with lard.
Cover again and place in the oven to rise with the light on for 3 hours.

The last step is to bake the casatiello. Before baking it, you will need to preheat the oven to 350F. Then, follow these instructions:

Roll out and cut the dough that was set aside into thin strips. Place 3 (or 4) eggs equally distance on top of the casatiello.
Place two strips on top of each egg, forming a cross.
Beat one egg in a small bowl and brush the egg over the surface of the casatiello.
Bake in the oven for approximately one hour.
Remove from the oven and let cool. Once it is cooled, take it out of the pan and slice. Enjoy!

FAQ

What is the difference between casatiello and tortano?

The main difference between both of these breads is the use of the eggs. Casatiello has the eggs on top, while tortano has no eggs on top. Instead, hard-boiled eggs are stuffed inside the tortano bread.

How to store and reheat

Casatiello bread is fairly easy to store. Simply place it in a sealed container in the fridge. Enjoy within 4 days for the best quality. To reheat it, place it in a pan and heat on the stove.

You can also freeze casatiello. Keep it in a freezer-safe, airtight container and eat within 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge, and then place in a pan and reheat on the stove.

Top tips

The amount of filling (400g of each salami and cheese) will make the casatiello very full. If you prefer less filling, you can decrease the amount of filling.
This recipe uses salami, pecorino and provolone for the filling - but you can use whatever meats and cheeses you like: prosciutto, mortadella, etc.

More Italian Easter recipes

Whether you're looking for Easter desserts, appetizers, or sides, I've got you covered with these recipes:

If you’ve tried making this Casatiello, or any other recipe on the blog please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’ve been up to.

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