Casatielli

This a great Italian tradition for your family to enjoy around the Easter holiday! (But not on Good Friday, because it has ham in it!) Many Italian foods have nicknames after coming to America, like Capicola became “gabagool” and so on. Our family lovingly calls Casatielli (Ca’ za tel’ li) Cushadel (Cuszh’ a del).

Many Italian families make breads and other specialties for Easter. We also have an Easter bread that’s braided with hard boiled eggs in it! This recipe is my favorite though. I have fond memories of making with my mom and Grandma leading up to Easter. Handed down for many generations in my family, it varies within the different households, but there’s a few ingredients that are consistent. The taste is very similar and always enjoyed in any of our households.

Ideally we make the recipe a week in advance to enjoy in the days leading up to Easter. This recipe makes 4 loaves. If you don’t have a big family or a bunch of relatives staying in town, it’s a great gift to your friends and family, neighbors, or coworkers!

Here’s a story from my Zia (aunt) Gina on this Easter delight. Of course it mentions other foods too! “Grandma (my grandmother’s mother, Michelina) used to give us a piece of fresh Italian bread spread with Ricotta cheese and sprinkled with sugar on top. It was a real treat, she did this when they made Casatielli. The whole pie just reminds me so much of Easter morning, having a slice with coffee, a hard boiled egg slightly colored from the die, and a piece of toasted Easter bread with soft butter. The BEST!!!” I agree with Gina here, having this for breakfast in the mornings brings me closer to my family and all the wonderful memories of what it’s like growing up in a large and loving Italian family.

Dough

5 cups flour

2 T sugar

2 t baking powder

1 cup canola oil (I use a mix of sunflower & coconut oil)

*note you could also use a cup of butter or margarine instead

2 eggs

¼ t salt

1 cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)

Mix all ingredients together except milk and start to form the dough. Add in 1 T at a time of the milk and keep working the dough until fully incorporated.

Set ball of dough under a bowl for 20 minutes

Divide it into 4 parts and put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes (I wrap each in saran wrap)

While cooling in fridge, make the filling:

1 slice of hamsteak center cut, 1” thick

1 lb ricotta cheese

1 ¼ cup grated pecorino romano cheese

1 block farmer’s cheese (grated long side) about 8oz

5 eggs plus one extra for the egg wash on top

1 bunch fresh parsley finely chopped

S&P to taste

Dice up the ham and add to a bowl. Add the finely chopped parsley, grated cheeses and ricotta cheese. Mix up, and then add the 5 eggs and S&P and mix thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

When dough is ready take out one at a time and roll out onto wax paper (this makes it easier to flip) add filling to one half of the round, flip the dough over and crimp the edges. Should look like a half moon. Brush the top with the beaten extra egg. Poke holes with a fork into it a few times so they don’t explode.

Cook each for 45 minutes and delicately brown.

Cool in the refrigerator and slice and serve cold.

The first picture is of the finished product sliced. The second if from my aunt Rachel's kitchen down in Florida to show you what the loaves look like, because I forgot to take that picture. Our whole family makes this!!