Romano Cheese Easter Bread Recipes

ROMANO CHEESE EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Lightly grease a large mixing bowl.
• Stir flour and eggs into yeast mixture; beat on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add cheese and softened butter; beat a few minutes more, until fully incorporated. Dough will be very sticky. Scoop dough into greased mixing bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour. Deflate dough and gently fold it over itself; cover and let rise again for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans or a tube pan.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Divide the dough in half, if using loaf pans, or shape it into a log if using a tube pan. Transfer dough to prepared pan(s). Let rise for 30 minutes.
• Bake in preheated oven until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when their bottoms are tapped, about 60 minutes. Remove from pans and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

HERB & ROMANO CHEESE WREATH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and honey in warm water; stir in milk powder. In a large bowl, combine eggs, softened butter, 2 tablespoons cheese, rosemary, thyme, salt, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into thirds. Roll each into a 30-in. rope. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid. Shape into a wreath and pinch ends to seal., Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°., Brush braid with melted butter; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

NEAPOLITAN EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the lard, yeast, and salt with the flour, adding as much water as necessary to get a rather soft dough. Work it steadily for about 10 minutes Place it into a bowl previously sprinkled with olive oil, cover with a woolen cloth and leave it to raise in a lukewarm place. After about 1 1/2 hours, when the dough has leavened, place it on a pastry board, punch it with your hands to stop it swelling and flatten it out into a large square (about 15" x 24"). Spread on some lard and sprinkle with a lot of fresh cracked pepper.
• Now add 1/4 lb each of chopped up salame and chopped up prosciutto. Sprinkle with coarsely grated pecorino romano or parmigiano. Roll up into a tube. Grease an angel food cake pan with lard and place tube inside (forming a ring).
• Lay 5 eggs (wash them but do not boil them first) on top and top with a criss cross of dough (2 strips of dough, forming an X, laid on top to hold down the eggs). Let rise for another hour or more (again, should be more than doubled). When ready, place in oven at 375 - 400 F (185-200 C) until the top is nice and brown and looks ready. This normally takes about an hour to an hour and a half. The smell in your house should tell you it is ready (my mouth starts watering and I know it is time :-).
• Now the hard part. Let bread cool. Place in a paper bag (NOT PLASTIC) and leave it for the following day (do not refrigerate). It really needs a day to get full flavor. Leftover is great toasted the following day or even topped with a mild cheese and tomato slices and toasted in the oven.

GRANDMA'S EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Combine 5 cups flour, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, Romano cheese, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; stir well and set aside.
• Stir warm water and yeast together in a small bowl. Set aside until dissolved and bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Zest and juice orange into a large bowl. Stir in melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. Stir in yeast mixture. Add flour mixture gradually, stirring as you go.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, adding up to 1 extra cup of flour as needed to keep dough manageable. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until almost doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes.
• Punch dough down, cover and let rise again until almost doubled in size, 30 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease two 8-inch round loaf pans.
• Cut dough into 2 equal pieces and shape into loaves. Place in the prepared pans, cover, and let rise again until almost doubled in size, 30 to 60 minutes.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cook on a wire rack.

CRESCIA AL FORMAGGIO (EASTER CHEESE BREAD)

Steps:

• To make the dough in an electric mixer: Combine all of the dough ingredients except the cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat on medium speed for 10 minutes, until the dough becomes shiny and satiny. Add the cheese and beat until blended. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and set it aside to rise for 1 hour. Gently deflate the dough, turn it over, return it to the bowl, and allow it to rise for an additional hour, or until it's nearly doubled in size.
• To make the dough in a bread machine: Place all of the dough ingredients into the pan of your machine, program the machine for manual or dough, and press Start. Check the dough about 10 minutes before the end of the final kneading cycle, and adjust its consistency as necessary with additional flour or water; it should be shiny and elastic. Allow the machine to complete its cycle.
• To shape the dough: Oil or flour your hands. To make one large loaf, form the dough into a ball, and place it in a greased pandoro (star) or panettone pan, large souffle dish, or other round, deep pan; the pan should be about 6" to 7" wide and 3" to 4" deep. To make two medium loaves, divide the dough in half, shape it into two logs, and place it in two greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans. Cover the loaf or loaves lightly, and allow them to rise for 2 hours (or longer, depending on the warmth of your kitchen); the bread should have become noticeably puffy, though it may not have doubled in size.
• To bake the bread: Put your oven rack in a lower position, just below the middle, and preheat the oven to 425°F Whisk the reserved egg white with the water and brush the top of the loaf/loaves. Place the bread in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, tent the bread lightly with aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 25 minutes, until it's a deep, golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190°F.
• Remove the bread from the oven, and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the edges, if necessary, and turn the loaf/loaves out onto a rack to cool completely before slicing. Yield: One large or two medium loaves.

ROSEMARY ROMANO BREAD

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt butter. Stir in the Romano cheese, garlic and rosemary. Spread over cut side of bread. , Place cut side up on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Slice and serve warm.