Easter Bread (Italian Pasca)

Name: Easter Bread (Italian Pasca) - Romanita I.
Ingredients: Traditional recipe:; 2 kg flour; 1 kg of already risen bread dough; 700 g sugar; 150 g lard (or margarine); 10 eggs; zest from 2; 3 lemons; 2 packets of vanilla; 1 handful of brewers yeast; salt and raisins to taste. My slightly revised recipe: 700 g flour; 4 egg yolks; 300; 400 ml milk (depending on how much the flour absorbs); as much as 2 walnuts of melted butter/margarine; 1 handful of sugar (that is as much as you can hold in the palm of your hand); 1 packet of vanilla; 1 drop of rum (because I like it); 20 grams of brewers yeast; about 2 handfuls of oil used for kneading.

Meat - Easter Bread (Italian Pasca) by Romanita I. - Recipia

We start the process of preparing a delicious loaf, a traditional dish that brings the smell of fresh bread throughout the house. The first step is to dissolve the yeast in warm milk, adding a little sugar, which will activate the yeast and help it ferment. This is an essential step, as proper fermentation will influence the final texture and taste of the bread. Once the yeast is completely dissolved in the milk, in a large bowl, we will begin to gradually add the flour, continuously mixing to avoid lumps. Along with the flour, we also add the sugar, which will give a pleasant taste and help brown the crust during baking. After achieving a homogeneous mixture, it is time to start kneading the dough. This is an important step, as kneading will develop the gluten and give the bread an airy structure. We will add the egg yolks one by one, ensuring that each yolk is well incorporated before adding the next. When the dough becomes elastic and smooth, we finally add the rum and vanilla oil, which will bring a delicate aroma and an unmistakable taste. Once the dough is ready, we will let it rise in a covered bowl, in a warm place away from drafts. An ingenious solution is to hide the bowl in the turned-off oven, making sure the door is tightly closed, which will create an ideal environment for the dough to rise. After about an hour, or until the dough doubles in volume, we will turn it out onto a floured surface and knead it again to remove air bubbles. Now it’s time to shape it into a round loaf, after which we place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. We cover the loaf with a linen towel, letting it rise again for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, we prepare the oven, preheating it to 180 degrees Celsius. When the dough has risen again, it's time to decorate it. We make a crescent-shaped cut on the surface of the dough, which will allow steam to escape during baking, giving it a perfect crust. For a richer appearance and taste, we brush the surface with a mixture of beaten egg and milk. This will give a golden color and a pleasant texture. We place the tray in the oven and bake for about an hour, but it's good to check the loaf from time to time, as the baking time may vary depending on the oven. When the bread is browned and sounds hollow when we tap it lightly on the bottom, it is ready to be taken out. We let it cool slightly before enjoying it, and its aroma will fill the entire house, bringing a touch of joy to every moment of the day.