Cheese Crescia

Name: Cheese Crescia
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: Type 0 flour ¾ cup; Whole milk (at room temperature) 0.4 cup; Fresh brewer's yeast 0.4 oz; Type 0 flour 3 ¼ cups; Eggs (about 5 medium, at room temperature) 9.7 oz; Pecorino Romano PDO cheese Aged, for grating 5.3 oz; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese (to grate) 5.3 oz; Lard (at room temperature) 4.625 oz; Black pepper 2 tsp; Fine salt to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Type 00 flour to taste

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392.8

Calories per serving

Energy Kcal 392.8
Carbohydrates g 33.3
of which sugars g 1.6
Protein g 15.5
Fats g 21.9
of which saturated fat g 7.9
Fiber g 107.1
Cholesterol mg 1.4
Sodium mg 217

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Serving: 12
Cost: Low
Note + the rising time (about 4 h)

PRESENTATION

If you are craving a taste of Italy's Marche and Umbria regions around Easter, you gotta try crescia al formaggio. It's not just any old bread—it's a savory, spongy delight, loaded with Parmigiano Reggiano DOP and Pecorino. And you know what? Some versions even sneak in extra cheese chunks. Seriously good.

Its shape might remind you of panettone, but, really, don’t be fooled. This bread is all about that salty, cheesy bite with a tender inside that makes you come back for more. Every family has their own twist—like little secrets passed down—that make each crescia just a tad different. Slice it up with cured meats and you get a bite that's both moist and packed with rich flavor. It's a big part of Easter celebrations here, alongside colomba salata and ciaramicola.

But listen, you don’t need a holiday to enjoy Italian Easter cheese bread. It makes everyday bread baskets something special. And here's the thing—in Umbria, it's a must for Easter morning, while in Marche, it's key for family gatherings. Pretty much essential. You can really savor that golden crust and the cheesy mix, which gives each slice a tangy kick. Some say it's like torta al testo or a thicker piadina, yet crescia stands out because of its super cheesy goodness and the way it rises quickly—hence the name. Whether you pair it with local prosciutto or just enjoy a crispy edge for a snack, this bread makes every meal feel special.

With so many Italian holiday recipes out there, crescia al formaggio always seems to be the star during Easter, thanks to its rich taste and deep roots in regional tradition. So, next time you're planning a festive meal, bring a slice of Italy to your table with this delicious bread. Can't go wrong.

INGREDIENTS

392.8

Calories per serving

Ingredients for the starter dough: Type 0 flour ¾ cup (100 g); Whole milk 0.4 cup (100 g) - (at room temperature); Fresh brewer's yeast 0.4 oz (10 g)

Ingredients (7.7 inches, 6.3 inches at the base, 4.7 inches in height): Type 0 flour 3 ¼ cups (400 g); Eggs 9.7 oz (275 g) - (about 5 medium, at room temperature); Pecorino Romano PDO cheese 5.3 oz (150 g) - Aged, for grating; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 5.3 oz (150 g) - (to grate); Lard 4.625 oz (130 g) - (at room temperature); Black pepper 2 tsp; Fine salt to taste

For the mold: Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Type 00 flour to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Cheese Crescia

Prepare the starter dough: dissolve the yeast in lukewarm milk (we recommend not exceeding 86°F) 1 and stir 2, then immediately pour the mixture into a bowl with 100 g of flour 3.

Mix quickly with a spoon 4 or with your hands until all the flour is absorbed. Once ready 5, cover with plastic wrap and let the starter dough rise for about 2 hours in a warm place; it should double in volume. Half an hour before the end of the rising, start weighing the lard and leave it at room temperature to soften. When the starter dough is ready, pour 400 g of flour into a bowl, then add the grated cheeses: Parmigiano Reggiano PDO and Pecorino Romano 6.

Season with 2 teaspoons of ground pepper 7 and mix. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them lightly 8. On the work surface, pour the mixture of flour, cheeses, and pepper and create a well 9.

Place the starter dough in the center and distribute the lard in small pieces all around 10. Also, pour the eggs in the center 11, start kneading with a fork or with your hands to prevent the mixture from leaking out 12.

Continue to knead the dough for about ten minutes 13; at first, it might be very sticky, but as you continue kneading, the ingredients will combine. Towards the end, add the salt 14 and knead a bit more to incorporate it 15.

Fold the dough: flatten it to form a square, then with your hands bring the edges towards the center one at a time, forming a sort of "package" 16. Do the same for the other two edges 17 18.

Flip it so that the closure is in contact with the work surface, then shape the dough by rotating it on the surface to seal the closure 19. Take the aluminum mold with a lower diameter of 6.3 inches, an upper diameter of 7.7 inches, and a height of 4.7 inches. Brush well with oil and flour it carefully. Place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for about 2 hours away from drafts or in the oven with the light off (the temperature should be around 78°F).

The dough should rise almost to the edge of the mold 22, so if 2 hours were not enough, let it rise for longer. Bake the crescia in a preheated static oven at 320°F for 40 minutes, placing the mold on the lower rack of the oven. After 40 minutes, increase the oven temperature to 338°F and bake for another 10 minutes: leave the mold on the lower rack if the crescia is already golden, otherwise, you can move it to a higher rack, just make sure the dome does not touch the heating element. Before removing from the oven, do the toothpick test to check the baking 23. Remove the crescia from the oven and let it cool slightly, then remove it from the mold and let it cool on a serving platter 34. Wait until the crescia is completely cool before cutting and serving it 34!

Storage

Cheese crescia tends to dry out quickly, so it's best consumed as soon as it has cooled.

If there are leftovers, it is advisable to wrap them well in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container away from drafts.

Subsequently, it would be ideal to store it in the refrigerator to avoid any mold formation; otherwise, if stored for a short period (such as a day), it can also be kept at room temperature.

In any case, it is recommended to reheat it in the oven at 320°F for about ten minutes to melt the lard present in the dough again and make it softer!

Tips for a perfect cheese crescia!

The crescia dough can be very sticky and difficult to handle initially, but following the indicated kneading time will achieve the correct result.

If you wait too long to remove the crescia from the mold, condensation may form due to the flour; if this happens, heat the crescia in a static oven at 338-356°F for a few minutes.

Some regional variations include adding cheese pieces to the dough.

Instead of lard, you can use oil or, if preferred, butter, adding 20% more than the indicated amount of lard.

Leftover crescia can be crumbled or diced to flavor salads.

Traditionally, a generous amount of pepper is included in the dough, which can be maintained, reduced, or omitted according to taste.

It is recommended to use well-aged Pecorino for a more pronounced and traditional flavor; with a less aged Pecorino, a more delicate taste is obtained.

The recipe specifies 150 g of Pecorino and 150 g of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, but the proportions of the two cheeses can be changed, always keeping the total of 300 g of grated cheese.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.