Easter cheese pie

Easter cheese pie – known as ‘La crescia di Pasqua al formaggio’ in Italian - is a leavened bread typical of the Easter tradition in Marche but is also common in Lazio. It is made with a simple flour and egg dough with Parmesan and pecorino cheese. If you prefer, you can add cubes of Emmental or Provolone to make it even tastier. Let your Crescia cool once cooked and accompany it with salami, cheese and a glass of red wine. Also known as ‘cheese pizza’ it is enjoyed by all ages and palates. It is great to eat while still warm but also good the next day, if there’s any left! It is really simple, but it requires a bit of patience while you wait for it to rise. So, be brave, follow our step-by-step recipe and you be assured of an excellent result.

Prepared the dough by mixing 125 g of flour with the yeast previously dissolved in a little warm water. Let it rise for an hour and then add the remaining flour, cheese, butter, a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and 3 eggs one at a time. Knead the dough well and transfer it into a circular, high-sided cake tin lined with parchment paper. Let it rise for the second time for at least two hours. When the mixture has reached the top of the tin, brush the surface with the remaining egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake at 200 °C for about 20 minutes, lower the temperature to 180 °C and continue cooking for about another 40 minutes. Serve the cheese pie cold, accompanied with cheese and salami.