Pane Casereccio

The Method

Mix the flour and the salt.  Pour onto a wooden board and make a 'well' in the centre. 

Measure 150ml of extra virgin olive oil into a jug, add the 3 whole large eggs and mix well with a fork.  Add the oil and egg mixture into the 'well' in your flour and, using your hand, start to collect the flour from the edges and mix with the egg and oil to form a dough. 

Mix the luke warm water with the sugar and yeast and stir until the yeast has completely dissolved. Add this liquid to the dough mixture a little at a time.  Flour absorbs liquid at different rates depending on the temperature of your kitchen, how dry the wheat is etc., so you may not need all of the liquid. 

Mix all well to form a dough and knead by hand for 15 to 20 minutes until the dough is smooth and a uniform colour.  Place the kneaded dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm, draught-free place to prove/double in size.  This can take up to an hour or more, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.  To see if it is ready, you need to touch it.  If it springs back and it is not malleable enough, your dough needs more time.

Once the dough is ready, pre-heat your oven to between 200 and 220 C. 

Take the dough and make it into a sausage, then bring the two ends of the sausage together to form a ring.  Leave a large hole in the middle.  Place the ring on an oiled baking tray and leave to one side whilst you prepare the filling.

You can use end bits of salami and cheese, or any cooked meat and other leftovers in your fridge.  Chop the meats finely or blitz in a food processor if you have one.  Grate or blitz the cheese.  Peel and quarter the hard boiled eggs. 

Now cut around the bread ring from the top down, but be careful not to go through the bottom.  Open it up to accommodate the filling.  Start by sprinkling in a generous amount of grated cheese (you can have a mix of cheeses if you like), then add the chopped meat and finally the eggs.  Close the ring again over the ingredients and pinch to seal.  Sprinkle a little 00 flour over the top, cover and leave to prove for another 20-30 minutes but no longer.

Place in the pre-heated oven and cook until golden brown.  To check that it's cooked, remove from the oven and tap it - when it sounds hollow, it's ready.

Leave to cool and serve in slices.  Watch Valentina making the bread on our YouTube channel. 

Vital Statistics

The Ingredients