Easter pizza is a savoury leavened bread typical from my region, Marche. But, also, of many areas of central Italy like Umbria, Lazio and Emilia-Romagna.
Made with flour, eggs, pecorino, parmesan and lots of black pepper is traditionally served for breakfast on Easter morning, or as an appetiser during Easter lunch, accompanied by blessed boiled eggs, Ciauscolo (soft salami with truffle) and red wine or, again, served in the Easter Monday picnic with cured meat and/or tuna, artichokes and mayo. From the typical panettone shape, this is an explosion of cheese taste and proudly Easter cheese pizza that obtained the Italian P.A.T. recognition, or traditional food product. The peculiarity of this product is the shape, given by the particular mold in which it is left for hours to rise and then cooked in the oven: originally in earthenware, today in aluminium, it has a flared shape.
Here the authentic recipe thought from my Mum (with her secret tips) through her family and people in the village generations.
Serving 6/8 people
INGREDIENTS:
5 eggs
500g 00 flour
85ml EVO oil
120ml milk
4 fresh yeast cubes or 28g dried yeast
125/150g grated Pecorino cheese
125/150g grated Parmesan cheese
200g Pecorino cheese cute in dices
8g salt
Black pepper
In a tall glass, dissolve the yeast in warm milk and a pinch of sugar. Cover with cling film.
In a large bowl, put the flour and make a hole in the center and add the eggs.
With a fork beat the eggs and slowly begin to incorporate the flour that surrounds them while adding the oil, salt and pepper to your taste - If you like black pepper I suggest you to put a generous amount because the pizza cheese must be well peppered - then add the grated Pecorino and the Parmesan and the milk with the yeast.
Continue to mix everything with a fork until the ingredients are blended then remove the dough on to the pastry board.
If necessary, add flour to continue kneading.
The mixture/dough must be very soft and worked like bread until everything is well blended and until it no longer sticks to your fingers. Smooth out/spread out the mixture and add the diced Pecorino and mix again to mix well.
Take a cake tin of about 24cm in diameter, sprinkle it well with the oil and then the flour.
Add the compound and if possible with a deep bowl use it to cover the pan and the compound.
This is because the compound will rise/grow in height and must have the necessary space to grow.
Put the cake tin covered in the switched off oven for 3/4 hours, until it is well risen.
When the compound is ready, heat the oven to 160°C-170°C / 320°F - 338°F fan.
Remove the bowl used as a lid and when the oven is hot, put the tin in the oven by placing a baking paper on top of the pizza for the first 20min.
Remove the baking paper and cook for about another 20/25 min.
Cooking time may vary depending on different ovens, so keep checking when the top is golden brown and when checking with a long wooden tooth pick its comes out dry.
When cooked, turn off the oven and leave the oven door open by letting the Pizza cheese to cool down before removing it from the tin. Enjoy! Buon Appetito!
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