Mangia Bene Pasta
Easter Recipes
Easter Dolls
Pupi Con L'uova
Makes 4 to 8 depending on how large you make them
4 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
About 2/3 cup milk
4 whole uncooked eggs, room temperature
Currants, pine nuts, mini chocolate chips for garnish
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
Colored candy sprinkles
Color eggs before starting and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, beat together the eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest.
Stir the mixture into the dry ingredients.
Stir in the melted butter. Gradually stir in enough milk to form a dough.
Form the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 large baking sheets.
On a floured work surface, divide the dough into either 4 or eight pieces.
With 8 pieces your dolls will be approximately 6 inches tall x 2-1/2 inches wide.
Work with one piece of dough at a time.
To make a doll, take off a portion of the dough the size of a small egg and set it aside.
Shape the remainder into 3 balls, each one slightly smaller than the next (like a
snowman).
Arrange the balls on one of the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each one slightly.
Press a whole colored egg into the bottom section of the doll.
Pinch off a piece of the reserved dough and form into 2 thin ropes.
Crisscross the ropes over the egg and press the ends into the body of the doll.
Use the remaining dough to make arms, hair, mouth, etc.
Add currants, pine nuts, or other edible items to decorate the doll.
Repeat with the remaining portions of dough.
Brush the egg wash over the dolls. Decorate with candy sprinkles.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until browned. Cool on wire racks.
Note: Follow the same method to make other shaped figures, if desired.
Torta Pasqualina
(Serves 8 to 10)
Dough
2-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
Filling
10-12 ounces Swiss chard, washed and trimmed
10-12 ounces spinach, washed and trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
Pinch of ground cloves
6 eggs, divided
1 cup ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
Pinch of grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
Olive oil
To make the dough:
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.
Stir in the oil and 1/2 cup water to make a smooth, non-sticky dough.
Knead just to bring the dough together.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces, one three times the size of the other.
Wrap each piece with plastic wrap.
Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
To make the filling:
Combine the Swiss chard and 1/2 cup water in a large pot.
Cover and cook over medium heat until tender and wilted, about 10 minutes.
Add the spinach and season with salt. Cook 5 more minutes or until spinach is wilted.
Drain the greens and allow to cool.
Squeeze out as much water as possible from the greens.
Place on a cutting board and finely chop.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onions and cloves.
Cover and cook over medium heat until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, beat 2 eggs until blended.
Add the greens, onions, ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, marjoram, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Mix well and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a 9-inch springform pan.
On a floured surface, roll out the larger piece of dough to a 15-inch circle.
Place the dough into the pan, pressing it against the bottom and up the sides.
The ends will overhang the edge of the pan.
Add the filling to the pan and smooth the top.
Make four evenly spaced indentations in the filling.
Carefully break on egg into one of the indentations.
Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs.
Sprinkle each egg with some of the remaining tablespoon of Parmesan.
Roll out the smaller piece of dough.
Cut out a 9-inch circle, using the bottom of the pan as a guide, if desired.
Place the dough circle on top of the filling.
Trim the overhanging dough to 1-inch.
Fold the dough inside the pan over the edge of the dough circle.
With your fingers, crimp the rolled edge to seal. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil.
Make several small slits in the top crust.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until browned.
The top with puff up during baking but will relax when cooled.
Cool on a wire rack about 10 minutes before removing the side of the pan.
Serve hot or at room temperature.
This page contains recipes for:
Pupi Con L'uova
Torta Pasqualina
Casatiello
Casatiello
(Makes 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves)
Sponge:
1/2 cup bread flour
1 tablespoon dry active yeast
1 cup warm whole milk or buttermilk (about 105 degrees F.)
Dough:
4 ounces salami or similar meat, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3-1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
6 ounces shredded provolone or similar cheese
Olive oil for greasing pans and brushing on loaves
To make the sponge:
Combine the flour and yeast in a bowl.
Stir in the milk to make a pancake-like batter.
Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow to ferment for 1 hour.
While the sponge is fermenting:
Saute the salami in a small skillet until crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Transfer the fried salami to a paper towel to drain.
Save the rendered fat if you wish to incorporate it into the bread later (optional).
To make the dough:
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar with a spoon.
If you prefer to use an electric mixer, combine the ingredients on low with the paddle attachment.
Add the eggs and the sponge and combine the mixture until a very coarse dough forms.
Divide the butter into 5 or 6 small pieces and work into the dough, one piece at a time.
The dough will begin to get softer and more elastic.
If you are using an electric mixer, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface at this point.
Knead the dough until smooth.
Add the salami pieces and knead until they are evenly distributed.
Then add the shredded cheese and knead the dough again until the cheese is distributed.
Lightly grease a large bowl, transfer the dough to the bowl, and turn it to coat all sides.
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough increases 1-1/2 times in size.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces for small loaves or leave in one piece for a large loaf.
Lightly grease your baking pans.
Shape the dough and place in the pan(s).
Cover the pans with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
Allow the loaves to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the dough reaches the top edge of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly brush the tops of the loaves with olive oil.
Bake the loaves for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove the pans from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack.
Let the bread cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely.