Easter bread

The dough for pasca is an essential part of this traditional recipe, and to achieve a perfect result, every step must be followed carefully. We start by beating the egg whites until foamy, adding a pinch of salt to help them become fluffy. It is important that all ingredients are at room temperature, except for the egg whites, which should be cold, and the milk. From the 200 ml of milk, we reserve 2-3 tablespoons and 1-2 tablespoons of flour for later stages.

In a pot, we melt the butter over low heat, being careful not to burn it, and add the cold milk together with the egg yolks. We mix gently until the composition becomes warm, but not hot. After removing the pot from the heat, we add the rum and vanilla essence, as well as the grated lemon and orange peel to give it an unmistakable aroma. Once the ingredients are well combined, we add the beaten egg whites, mixing gently to retain the air in the composition.

Next, we measure the flour and sift it twice to obtain a fine and homogeneous dough. The two reserved tablespoons of milk are slightly warmed and mixed with the yeast and the two tablespoons of flour, forming a paste that will be left warm for about 20 minutes until it becomes frothy. In a larger bowl, we place the sifted flour and make a well in the center where we add the yeast mixture, mixing well from the edges to the center. The resulting dough should be slightly elastic, and when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl, it is ready.

After obtaining the dough, we form it into a ball and place it in a greased bowl, rolling it to coat it evenly. We cover the bowl with a clean towel and leave it in a warm place, away from drafts, for about an hour or until it doubles in volume.

From two-thirds of the composition, we roll out a round sheet on a clean, lightly oiled table, with a thickness of 2-3 cm, which we place in the lined round form. From the remaining dough, we braid a wreath from three strands, the size of the pasca mold (diameter 20-23 cm). The filling is prepared by mixing the sugar with the egg yolks, to which we add the essences, cheese, raisins soaked in rum, and the grated citrus peel. In the center of the tart mold, we sprinkle a little semolina before pouring the cheese filling, ensuring that it will rise evenly during baking.

The wreath is brushed with egg and the pasca is placed in the preheated oven, allowing it to bake for 55 minutes. In the first 20 minutes, it is essential not to open the oven door. After this interval, we use a toothpick to check the dough. If the cheese filling appears soft, we leave the pasca in the oven, being careful to brush it with egg to prevent burning. Even though the filling does not contain flour, it will set beautifully after cooling. Once the fire is out, we slightly open the oven door and let the pasca cool there, to achieve a perfect, fluffy, and aromatic dessert.