Crescia is a conventional Umbrian bread loaded with cheese that’s sometimes made each Easter though I’ve discovered this bread bought 12 months spherical although in lots of bread retailers and even a few of our native grocery shops. Though I’ve purchased it typically, I made a decision it was lastly time to make it myself as I completely get pleasure from creating Umbrian specialties in my kitchen.
This bread may be very spectacular to have a look at because it rises to a tall golden dome and is flecked with items of cheese. Though I like the bread merely sliced and eaten as is, it’s nice toasted for breakfast with eggs, and goes very well with cured meats and salami. I attempted just a few totally different variations of recipes for this bread and didn’t love any of them, till I attempted this recipe I tailored from Mary Ann Esposito.
Pecorino Romano, quite than Parmisiano Reggiano is the standard cheese used right here in Umbria and is the cheese of selection used on this bread. Pecorino is a tough, salty cheese that’s typically used for grating. Pecorino is made out of sheep’s milk, and pecora is the Italian identify for sheep. For this conventional Umbrian bread, I mixed each aged, grated pecorino, in addition to some softer (youthful) pecorino that I diced.
I’ve made this recipe many instances now, and located I most popular the diced cheese to be slightly bigger in dimension which creates good little tacky pockets that bake into the bread. Our eggs right here in Italy have very darkish yolks which creates a really golden yellow coloured bread, however after I make this bread within the US, I discovered it turned out fairly a bit lighter in coloration than what’s proven in these images.
I’ve used each two small souffle dishes, or one massive souffle dish with good outcomes. Clearly, if you’re utilizing he smaller baking dishes, you will have to educe the baking time by about ten minutes.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Elements
- 1 3/4 Cup Heat Water
- 1 Tablespoon Lively Dry Yeast
- 7 Giant Eggs
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Coarse Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
- 2 Cups Grated Pecorino Cheese
- 8 Cups All-purpose Flour (Or Tipo 0)
- 8 Ounces Younger Pecorino Cheese Reduce Into 1/2 Inch Cube
Directions
- Spray one massive, or two small soufflé dishes with oil, and utilizing a strip of parchment paper, line the highest of the dish including an extra 2 to three inches of peak.
- Add the yeast to the water in a bowl and blend, and let sit 5 minutes till bubbly.
- In one other bowl, beat first the 7 eggs, then add the olive oil, salt, pepper, and grated cheese.
- Add the yeast combination to the egg combination and stir till mixed.
- Add half the flour and stir.
- Proceed so as to add flour one cup at a time till you create a agency dough that’s not too sticky.
- Dump the dough onto a frivolously floured floor, and knead by hand, folding within the diced cheese as you’re employed the dough.
- Knead for about 5 minutes or till the cheese has been included into the dough, and the dough is clean.
- Calmly oil a big bowl with olive oil and let the dough rise till doubled, coated, in a heat spot.
- Punch down the dough and kind it right into a ball and place it into the ready soufflé dish.
- Preheat oven to 375 levels F. Cowl the bread with a kitchen towel and let it rise for about half-hour.
- Bake the bread for about 55 minutes to an hour (for giant souffle dish), or till it reaches an inside temperature of 180 levels F.
- Let the bread cool for 10 minutes, take away it from the baking dish and let cool to room temperature earlier than reducing into it.
