Casatiello Napoletano (Traditional Neapolitan Easter Bread)

This casatiello recipe brings to your table one of the most iconic dishes from Neapolitan cuisine. Casatiello is a savory bread filled with salami and cheese - traditionally prepared during the Easter holidays in Campania, Southern Italy.

Alongside Pastiera Napoletana, Casatiello is a true symbol of Neapolitan Easter tradition. With its rustic look and rich filling, it’s more than just a bread—it’s a celebration of flavor, family, and heritage.

Casatiello is shaped like a bundt cake and stuffed with cold cuts and cheese, then topped with whole eggs secured by strips of dough in the shape of a cross. These eggs bake right in the oven, making this bread both delicious and symbolic.

There isn’t just one version of this casatiello recipe—every area of Campania has its own twist, and every family guards its own variation. In fact, during an Easter Monday picnic (la Pasquetta), it’s not unusual to taste a dozen different casatielli in one afternoon!

This traditional casatiello recipe is perfect for Easter brunch, family gatherings, or a springtime picnic. Rich in flavor and history, it’s a must-try for anyone who loves authentic Italian food.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Storage
• Variations
• History and Curiosities
• Recipe Card

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Ingredients

Prep Time: 25 Min | Rising Time: 2 H | Cook Time: 45 Min | Servings: 8

Doses for a 28 cm (11 inch) bundt cake mold

For the Dough

• 550 g (4 ⅓ cups) all purpose flour
• 7 g (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) water, lukewarm
• 50 ml (3 ½ tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
• 35 g (2 ½ tablespoons) lard
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Filling

• 200 g (7 oz) salami, chopped
• 150 g (5 ¼ oz) provolone or pecorino cheese, cubed
• 80 g (¾ cup) pecorino romano cheese, grated
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Topping and Decoration

• 5 whole eggs, (4 for the top, 1 for brushing)

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Instructions

Make the Dough

Step 1) - To begin this casatiello recipe, dissolve the active dry yeast in lukewarm water. Stir until the yeast is fully dissolved and slightly foamy.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour. Slowly pour in the yeast-water mixture while mixing with a wooden spoon.

Next, add the extra virgin olive oil, salt, and lard to the flour mixture.

Step 2) - Continue kneading the dough with your hands for about 10 minutes. The dough should start coming together and become less sticky as you work it.

Once the dough is smooth, soft, and elastic, shape it into a ball.

Step 3) - Score a shallow cross on top with a knife - this helps the dough rise evenly.

Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise at room temperature for 1 H 30 Mins, or until doubled in size.

Prepare the Filling for the Casatiello

Step 4) - While the dough is rising, prepare the flavorful filling that gives this Italian Easter bread its signature taste.

On a cutting board, dice the salami and the cheese (provolone, or aged pecorino). Grate the Pecorino Romano cheese. Set all the ingredients aside in a bowl, ready to use later.

Rolling out the Dough

Step 5) - Once the dough has risen, lightly flour a clean work surface. Place the dough on top and gently press it down with your hands to deflate it slightly.

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 1 cm (½ inch) thick.

Step 6) - Use a sharp knife to trim the edges of the rectangle. Set these dough strips aside—you’ll use them to decorate the top of the casatiello by crossing them over the eggs, a traditional and symbolic part of this casatiello bread recipe.

Now it’s time to add flavor! Spread a thin layer of lard over the surface of the dough using your fingers, almost like you’re applying a salve. This will add moisture and richness to the bread.

Shaping the Casatiello Bread

Step 7) - Evenly scatter the diced salami and cubed cheese over the entire greased surface of the dough. Don’t forget to spread the ingredients all the way to the edges.

Sprinkle the surface generously with grated Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

Carefully roll the dough from the long side into a tight log. Go slowly to keep the filling inside and avoid breaking the dough.

Step 8) - Pinch the ends and the seam to seal it well. You should now have a stuffed “sausage” of dough.

Grease a 28 cm (11 inch) bundt cake mold with lard or butter. Gently place the rolled dough inside the mold, sealing the two ends together to form a ring. This step gives the casatiello its iconic shape and helps it cook evenly.

Place four raw eggs (in their shells) on top of the dough, spacing them evenly around the ring. These eggs will cook in the oven and are part of the traditional look of Neapolitan Easter bread.

Decorate and Bake

Step 9) - Take the dough strips you saved earlier and place them in a cross pattern over each egg. This not only keeps them in place but also adds a symbolic and decorative touch.

Let the assembled casatiello rise for another 30 minutes before baking.

Beat the fifth egg and brush the surface of the dough with it. This will give the bread a golden, glossy finish when baked.

Step 10) - Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F), fan on, for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Tip: If the top starts to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

Remove the casatiello from the oven and let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes.

Once cooled slightly, turn the bread out of the pan and serve it warm or at room temperature.

YOU MUST ALSO TRY:

• Crescia di Pasqua (Italian Easter cheese bread)
• Torta Pasqualina
• Torta Pasqualina ai Carciofi (Italian Easter Pie with Artichokes)
• Scarcella (Italian Easter Cookies with Eggs)
• Colomba Recipe
• Ciaramicola (Traditional Italian Easter Cake)

Storage

You can store casatiello at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, either in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap to keep it fresh.

It also freezes well once fully cooked and completely cooled. You can keep it in the freezer for up to 2 months.

For convenience, consider freezing it in slices, so you can thaw only what you need without defrosting the whole loaf.

Variations

Casatiello is often described as a “container of flavor”, and for good reason—this traditional Neapolitan Easter bread lends itself to countless variations.

Every family has its own version, and many recipes are influenced by local ingredients from other Italian regions, especially Lazio.

Key Ingredients That Never Change

Despite the many variations, two ingredients remain essential in every traditional casatiello recipe: cheese and lard (called "sugna" in Neapolitan dialect).

The cheese should be a semi-hard variety, like medium-aged pecorino or unsweetened provolone, combined with a generous amount of grated Pecorino Romano. You can also use other semi-hard cheeses you prefer, but these give the most authentic flavor.

While lard is the traditional fat, many modern recipes replace it with butter or olive oil, either for health reasons or due to the difficulty of finding high-quality fresh lard.

Common Fillings and Regional Twists

One of the most popular versions of casatiello includes a mix of cured meats, such as salami, mortadella, and ham.

In some traditional versions, you'll also find ciccioli (Italian pork cracklings) mixed into the dough. These are crunchy bits of pork leftover from rendering lard and add a deep, savory flavor.

Another beloved variation is Casatiello with Sausage and Friarielli—a flavorful combo of Italian sausage and sautéed broccoli rabe.

There’s also the Cheese and Pepper Casatiello, which keeps things simple but bold, with lots of cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

Casatiello “Stracciato” and Tortano

A unique variation is the “stracciato” casatiello, (meaning “torn” or “broken apart”). In this version, instead of rolling the filling inside the dough, all the ingredients are mixed directly into the dough before shaping it.

This method is commonly used to make Tortano, a bread very similar to casatiello. The main difference? Tortano doesn’t use whole eggs on top. Instead, boiled eggs are chopped and added to the filling inside the bread.

Sweet Casatiello

Beyond the savory versions, there are also sweet casatiello recipes, especially popular in the province of Caserta and along the Vesuvian coast.

The most famous sweet version is made with eggs, sugar, lard, and often topped with a sugar glaze and colorful sprinkles. It’s a festive treat that brings joy to the Easter table, especially for children.

History and Curiosities

The Symbolism Behind Casatiello

Casatiello is more than just a savory Easter bread—it's full of Christian symbolism. The two strips of dough placed over the eggs represent the cross of Christ, while the dough itself, made from bread flour, symbolizes the body of Christ. The eggs stand for rebirth, and the ring shape recalls the crown of thorns.

Why Is It Called “Casatiello”?

The name Casatiello comes from the Latin word caseus, meaning “cheese.” In Neapolitan dialect, it's caso or casu. The name reflects the generous amount of cheese used in the recipe.

Ancient Origins

Casatiello has ancient roots dating back to Greek and Roman Naples, where bread enriched with various ingredients was prepared for spring festivals honoring Demeter (or Ceres in Roman mythology).

The first written reference to casatiello appears in the 1600s, in La Gatta Cenerentola by Giambattista Basile, where it's mentioned alongside Pastiera Napoletana during royal celebrations.

Traditionally, the dough is prepared on Good Friday, left to rise overnight, and baked on Holy Saturday. It's served on Easter day and enjoyed through Easter Monday, making it the perfect food for the traditional outdoor picnic.

In the past, Neapolitan women would gather in their kitchens on Holy Thursday to bake large quantities of casatiello—not only for their families, but also to sell to neighbors and passersby from their own homes.

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