Traditional Italian Easter Bread: A Delicious and Authentic Recipe for 2024
Author: Veruska Anconitano, Award-Winning Food Travel Journalist, Sommelier & Outdoor Lover
About the author
Veruska Anconitano
Veruska is a a food travel journalist with awards to her credit, such as World Best Food Travel Journalist. She holds a certification as a sommelier and she is also an ardent lover of the outdoors. Aside from this, Veruska is a Multilingual SEO and Localization Consultant and co-owns multiple websites that cater to a global audience.
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Veruska Anconitano
Veruska is a a food travel journalist with awards to her credit, such as World Best Food Travel Journalist. She holds a certification as a sommelier and she is also an ardent lover of the outdoors. Aside from this, Veruska is a Multilingual SEO and Localization Consultant and co-owns multiple websites that cater to a global audience.
Website Linkedin Twitter
Table of contents
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we may receive a small commission at no cost for you, if you purchase through these links.
If you’re looking for the best and most traditional Italian Easter Bread, we got you covered: baking bread is a tradition for us Italians, and Easter is no exception.
Bread is one of the most essential things for Italians at Easter time: no matter if you’re a Catholic or not, we grew up believing that bread is sacred and we need to treat it with respect and love. Easter bread is baked traditionally all over Italy in different ways but, most of the time, in the same shape.
In the past, it was linked to Christ’s resurrection, and the fact that it was baked after the fast of Lent made it rich and extremely flavored. Today, the religious meaning is not that strong anymore, but the Bread is unmissable on Easter.
Italian Easter Bread: The Tradition
There are various types of Italian Easter bread. For example, in Napoli, the “pane di Pasqua” is called “casatiello,” and it’s a big piece of bread filled with charcuterie and cheese extremely rich in taste and flavor.
This very traditional Italian Easter Bread is sweet, soft, and highly scented: the dough is prepared with eggs, and eggs are also used as decoration. It’s common to put the Easter bread in the middle of the dinner table and let guests take their pieces with their hands, eggs included. In fact, eating means sharing, and bread is considered the food par excellence to share in Italy.
The same bread can also be prepared in pieces, served to each person around the table, or gifted.
What you need to make Italian Easter Bread
This Italian bread can be made at home from scratch using tools and ingredients to ensure a good result. These are some of the items we recommend if you want to make Italian Bread at home this Easter 2024:
- Unbleached all-purpose flour – Check on Amazon
- Dried Yeast – Check on Amazon
- Sprinkles – Check on Amazon
- A good stand mixer – Check our selection
- Cookie Tray – Check on Amazon
How to make Italian Easter Bread
With the following recipe, part of our family traditions for years, you will make 8 Individual Easter Breads, but with the same dough, you can also make one big Italian Easter bread ring.
Ingredients for 8 Easter Bread Rings
- 500 grams of corn flour
- 500 grams of all-purpose flour
- 250 grams of caster sugar
- 200 ml milk
- 400 grams of eggs
- 40 grams of dried yeast
- Grated lemon rind
- 50 grams of butter
- 150 gr of sultana raisins
- Salt
- Funfetti/Sprinkles or Granulated Sugar
- 8 whole eggs for decoration
Instructions
- Put the sultanas to soak in warm water;
- Sift the two flours into a large bowl, then mix them with the sugar using a spoon;
- Heat the milk and pour one part into a glass. Add the yeast and let the mixture rest for a few minutes, then mix well to dissolve the powder;
- Once completely mixed, pour the milk and baking powder mixture into the bowl with the flour. Start mixing with a spoon to incorporate it. Add the rest of the warm milk;
- As soon as the milk it is absorbed, add the previously diced and softened butter and, once it is absorbed, also incorporate the eggs;
- Stir briefly with a spoon, then add the soaked and squeezed sultanas, the grated lemon rind and a pinch of salt;
- Begin to knead with the help of the hands, transferring the mixture to a floured pastry board. Work until you get a firm, smooth and elastic dough;
- Let it rest for 10 minutes, then take 8 equal portions to knead further;
- Let them rise covered and in a warm place for at least 3 hours;
- Cut each of the 8 pieces in half and roll out to about 9 inches long;
- Braid three rolls for each individual bread;
- Join the ends to each other to form a ring, twisting as necessary to keep the ropes from undoing themselves. Place an egg into the center of the ring;
- To make a big Easter bread, divide the dough in 3 portions, roll each portion and follow steps 11 and 12;
- Let them rise covered and in a warm place for 30 minutes more.
- Sprinkle the surface of the Easter bread with granulated sugar or funfetti, then bake for 40 minutes at 200° C in a hot oven.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven, leave it to cool and serve.
notes
Preparation time: 4 hours
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Total time: 4.7 hours
5 Essential Tips for Making the Perfect Italian Easter Bread
- Give the Dough Adequate Rest: This step allows the flour to fully absorb the water, resulting in a softer bread.
- Avoid Over-Kneading: While kneading, be careful not to add too much flour. A soft Easter bread requires a wet dough.
- Choose High-Quality Flour: Flour is a crucial ingredient in making Easter bread. Opt for Italian “00” flour if possible, or a good quality all-purpose flour.
- No Steam Needed: Unlike other breads that require steam for a crusty texture, this Easter bread should remain soft. Do not put water in the oven.
- Brush with Egg White: To give the bread a shiny surface, brush it with a beaten egg white before cooking.
Enjoy the bread fresh or store it in a paper bag for up to a week. It can also be frozen for later use.
Easter Bread Around the World: A Delicious Sampling of Recipes
Celebrating the Easter holiday with bread is a beloved tradition in many countries. Here are some of the most popular Easter breads from around the world:
- Hot Cross Buns: From UK and Ireland, get our recipe here.
- Babka: A classic Easter bread from Ukraine and Poland.
- Paasbrood: The Dutch take on traditional Easter bread.
- Tsoureki: The Greek version, similar to the Italian Easter Bread with the inclusion of eggs.
- Pao Doce: The Portuguese version features a generous amount of saffron.
- Pinca Sirnica: A Croatian specialty. Get the recipe here.
- Choereg: A delicious Easter bread from Armenia. Get the recipe here.
- Easter Challah: A German twist on a classic bread. Get the recipe here.
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