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Tortano napoletano is the savory Neapolitan Easter ring: a lard-enriched yeast dough studded with cubes of salame, provolone and pecorino, baked at 180 C / 355 F for 45 to 50 minutes. It slices cleanly, tastes good warm or at room temperature, and keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
It’s a close cousin of casatiello, but the filling is kneaded into the dough and there are no whole eggs pressed into the top. That makes it easier to portion and easier to pack for Pasquetta.
Lard gives a tender crumb, and the black pepper should be easy to taste. Don’t hold back on it.
Plan on about 4 hours, mostly hands-off rising. Tuck every cheese cube fully inside the dough before the final rise, because any piece left near the surface melts out and scorches on the pan.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One dough with no eggs on top, so slices come out clean
- Rising is mostly hands-off, so it fits around a busy Saturday
- Bake it a day ahead and it slices better the next morning
- Pantry-level cured meat and cheese, with only a ring pan needed
Ingredient Notes
- bread flour: Bread flour or Italian manitoba (12 to 13 percent protein) holds the heavy filling best. All-purpose flour works, but the ring bakes up a little softer and tears more easily when sliced.
- lard (sugna): Lard is the traditional fat and gives the tender crumb. Swap in 100 g soft unsalted butter or 90 ml olive oil if needed, and expect a milder flavor.
- salame Napoli: This is a coarse, pepper-forward Neapolitan salame. Any dry salame or soppressata cut into 1 cm cubes works, and a salty one means you should taste before adding more salt.
- provolone: Use mild provolone dolce or caciocavallo. Low-moisture mozzarella works as a budget swap, but it melts into softer, less defined pockets.
- pecorino romano: Pecorino adds sharp saltiness. Parmigiano Reggiano is a fair substitute and tastes a little rounder and nuttier.
- black pepper: Grind it fresh and coarse. Pre-ground pepper tastes flat in a dough this rich, and 2 tsp is the amount where it registers in each slice.
Tortano Napoletano Savory Easter Ring with Provolone
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the flour, salt and black pepper together in the bowl of a 5-quart / 4.7 L stand mixer. Add the yeast and lukewarm water, then mix with the dough hook on low for 3 minutes, until no dry flour remains.
- Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the 100 g soft lard in 4 or 5 pieces, waiting until each one disappears. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. To knead by hand, work it on the counter for about 15 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a 4-quart / 3.8 L bowl greased with a little of the 25 g lard. Cover and let it rise at room temperature (22 to 24 C / 72 to 75 F) for 90 minutes, until doubled.
- Grease a 25 cm / 10-inch bundt or tube pan with the remaining lard. Press the risen dough into a rough 30 x 40 cm rectangle, scatter over the salame, provolone and pecorino, then fold and knead for about 2 minutes until the filling is evenly distributed.
- Roll the dough into a thick rope about 60 cm / 24 inches long and lay it in the pan, pinching the ends together so the ring closes. Press down any cheese or salame poking through the surface, because exposed cheese melts out and scorches.
- Cover the pan and let the ring rise for 45 minutes, until it sits about 2 cm below the rim and springs back slowly when poked. Heat the oven to 180 C / 355 F with a rack in the lower third during the last 15 minutes.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the crust is deep golden, the base sounds hollow when tapped, and an instant-read thermometer reads 93 C / 200 F. If the top is dark brown at 30 minutes, tent it with foil.
- Cool the ring in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack for 20 more minutes. Slice with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion.
Notes
- Use room-temperature lard so it blends into the dough without streaks.
- Cut cheese and salame into 1 cm cubes, no larger.
- Taste your salame first, and use 8 g salt in the dough if it's very salty.
- Bake on the lower-third rack so the base browns before the top.
- Cool for 30 minutes total before slicing so the provolone sets.
Tips for Success
- Cut the salame and provolone into 1 cm cubes so they distribute evenly and don’t tear the dough during shaping.
- Add the lard in 4 or 5 soft pieces while the mixer runs, so the dough absorbs it without turning greasy.
- Let the shaped ring rise until it sits about 2 cm below the pan rim, which takes roughly 45 minutes in a warm kitchen.
- Tent the ring with foil if the top is deep brown at the 30-minute mark, then keep baking until the center reads 93 C / 200 F.
- Cool the ring in the pan for 10 minutes, then on a rack for 20 more, so the provolone sets before you slice.
Variations
- Add 80 g diced ciccioli (pork cracklings) with the salame for a more traditional, richer Neapolitan crumb.
- For casatiello style, press 3 raw eggs in their shells into the top and secure each with two crossed dough strips before the final rise.
- For a vegetarian ring, skip the salame, use 90 ml olive oil instead of lard, and add 80 g extra pecorino.
Storage and Reheating
Store tortano napoletano wrapped tightly in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It holds cured meat and provolone, so don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours while serving.
Reheat slices on a baking sheet at 160 C / 320 F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust crisps and the provolone softens. A toaster oven works the same way.
To freeze, slice the cooled ring, wrap each slice in plastic wrap, and freeze in a bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 160 C / 320 F for about 15 minutes. For make-ahead, bake the whole ring a day early and slice it just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Cut tortano into thick slices and serve it as an antipasto with Neapolitan stuffed peppers, olives, giardiniera and a few spoonfuls of fresh ricotta. The bread is rich and salty, so something sharp or bitter alongside balances it.
A green salad of escarole or arugula dressed with lemon and olive oil works well. For drinks, a chilled Falanghina or a light red from Campania suits it.
On Easter Monday, wrap the cooled ring in a clean towel and take it on a picnic with hard-boiled eggs, fruit and a sweet Umbrian Easter ring cake.
FAQ
What is the difference between tortano and casatiello?
Tortano has its filling kneaded into the dough, while casatiello is topped with whole eggs held down by crossed strips of dough. Both use lard, black pepper, salame and cheese, and both are Neapolitan Easter breads. Tortano is baked in a plain ring and slices cleanly, which makes it easier to carry on a picnic.
How do I know when tortano is done baking?
Tortano is done when the crust is deep golden, the base sounds hollow when tapped, and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 93 C / 200 F. That usually takes 45 to 50 minutes at 180 C / 355 F. If the top browns before then, tent it with foil rather than pulling it early.
Why did the cheese leak out and burn on my tortano?
Cheese leaks when cubes sit at or near the surface, because provolone melts at oven temperature and runs onto the hot pan. Press every exposed cube into the dough before the second rise, and cut cubes to 1 cm. Pieces that stay fully covered by dough melt into pockets instead.
Can I use butter instead of lard in tortano napoletano?
Yes, use 100 g soft unsalted butter in place of the lard. The flavor is milder and the crumb a little softer, since lard gives the tender, slightly savory crumb tortano is known for. Olive oil works too, at about 90 ml, and gives a chewier crumb.
Can I freeze tortano napoletano after baking?
Yes, tortano freezes well for up to 2 months. Cool it fully, cut into slices, wrap each in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen on a baking sheet at 160 C / 320 F for about 15 minutes, until the cheese softens and the crust crisps.
What do you serve with tortano napoletano on Easter Monday?
Cut tortano into slices about 2 cm thick and serve it with fresh ricotta, olives, giardiniera and a bitter-greens salad dressed with lemon, since the bread is rich and salty. On Easter Monday it also travels well for a picnic, alongside hard-boiled eggs and a chilled Falanghina.