Easter Torta With Cheese
Ingredients
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ounce yeast
- 2 cups of “OO” flour or all-purpose flour*
- 8 egg yolks
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup finely diced pecorino Romano
- 6 T unsalted butter, softened to room temperature Pinch of salt
- 2 lbs. assorted Italian cold cuts (1/4 lb. each: salami, capocollo, prosciutto, cacciatorino-small sized salami, OR another of your choice)
- 10 hard-boiled eggs or make deviled eggs (garnish) *
Warm the milk in a pan or microwave until lukewarm
Add yeast, dissolve in milk. Put the flour in a large mixing bowl
Add milk and mix until a very soft, wet, sticky dough is formed
Add more warm milk if dough doesn’t stick to your hands
Cover bowl with clean towel and leave it in a warm place to rise until dough doubles, 2 to 3 hours, depending on the temperature
Butter a 6-inch wide, 4-inch-high round ovenproof mold and line with parchment paper (option: a large coffee or tomato can)
When dough has risen, beat the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl
Add the cheeses, butter, salt and mix until well combined
Put dough in the prepared mold, cover again with towel for approximately 3 hours
Preheat oven to 300 F degrees. Put the risen dough in the oven for 45-minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.
To serve, invert the torta onto a platter and cut into wedges. Surround the perimeter of the torta with the assorted Italian meats, hard-boiled or deviled eggs, and slices of the fresh aged cheese.
Add a glass of your favorite wine! Mangia