Crescia al Formaggio Easter Cheese Bread Recipe

Nothing beats the smell of fresh-baked bread, especially cheese-filled ones! Around Easter, Le Marche and Umbria serve Crescia al Formaggio, Italian Easter Cheese Bread.

Ingredient

– 2 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour – 1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast – 1 tsp of sugar – 3 large egg – 1 large egg yolk – 1/4 cup lukewarm water – 1/4 cup 4 tablespoons softened butter – 1 teaspoon salt – 1 teaspoon ground pepper – 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmeggiano-Reggiano

Direction

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1

In a mixer with a dough hook, combine warm water (110F), yeast, and a teaspoon of sugar. Blend well. It takes 10-15 minutes for yeast to proof. Mix flour, salt, pepper, and cheese in a small bowl.

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2

Add 1 cup of flour to the bowl with the activated yeast and mix slowly. Add eggs one at a time and mix. Add 2 more cups flour, butter, and salt.

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3

Combine on medium-low speed, stopping to scrape bowl sides. Mix in the remaining flour slowly. Pause the machine as you add each cup of flour to scrape and incorporate the flour.

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4

Low-speed mixing for 10 minutes incorporates dough. Avoid burning out your mixer by resting it. Add flour by tablespoon. Sticky but firm dough.From mixer bowl, form dough into a ball and lightly oil with canola or other oil.

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5

Form the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl (I swish it around the bottom and flip it over to cover it in a light film of oil). Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled (1-1 1/2 hours).

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6

Grease or flour hands. For a traditional round loaf, form the dough into a ball and place it in a greased pandoro (star) or panettone pan, large souffle dish, or other round, deep pan. Pans should be 6"–7" wide and 3”–4” deep.

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7

Divide the dough into three pieces, roll each into a 12" log, and braid to make a pretty loaf. Place the braid in a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.

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8

Cover the loaf lightly and let it rise for 1 hour (or longer, depending on your kitchen's warmth; my loaf was ready to bake in 1 hour). The dough should be puffy but not doubled in size.

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9

Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the rack just below the middle to bake the bread. Bake for 35-40 minutes until deep golden brown and 190°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center. Braided loaves take less time than round ones.

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10

Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Slice the loaf after cooling on a rack and loosening the edges with a knife. For several days, keep airtight at room temperature. To store longer, freeze tightly.

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also see

also see

Tuna and Spinach Tart Recipe