Italian Easter Bread
My family is pretty Italian by modern Italian-American standards. I called my great-grandmothers Nonna. My family is full of amazing cooks. My mom used to make pasta every Sunday night for our family meal. But there are only so many traditions that can continue to be carried on generation through generation without getting lost. I've never seen a family member of mine make this Easter bread, but the pictures online were so darn pretty, I had to give it a try myself! That means this isn't a family recipe, but I might turn it into one, because I'll be making this over and over again until I can actually make it look nice.
This recipe is titled Italian Easter Bread because my family is Italian, and because the recipe I decided to use (referenced below!) calls it that as well. However, I would like to note that this bread is common at Greek Easter celebrations too, so really we might just be able to call it a Mediterranean tradition. It's like me – kind of ambiguously Mediterranean. According to Ancestry.com, at least.
Bread is an essential part of any Italian meal – and Italian culture in general – but I found the symbolism behind this Easter bread especially interesting (and very Catholic, as you might imagine!). The wreath is braided with three strands to represent the Holy Trinity, and the wreath shape is reminiscent of the crown of thorns placed on Jesus' head during the crucifixion. In Italy, it's common for Easter bread to be shaped like a dove, but that sounded significantly more difficult than a braided wreath, so here we are. Even the wreath isn't nearly as pretty as I was hoping. It's actually not even a wreath technically – it rose further as it baked, and the middle closed up. A dove would have probably looked nightmarish.
I do want to note that this is a sweet bread, not so dissimilar from panettone if you're familiar with that. It's more of a dessert bread, so I wouldn't make this instead of dinner rolls – I'd make it in addition. (The more bread, the better!) The glaze and sprinkles should make this obvious, but since those aren't required, I thought I'd clarify so there would be no confusion.
Happy Easter, everyone! Whether you celebrate or not, I hope you all enjoy the start of spring and the magic of new beginnings that the season brings.
ITALIAN EASTER BREAD
Prep Time: 3 hours (including rise time)
Bake Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
½ c milk, warmed
⅓ c sugar
2¼ t (1 packet) active dry yeast
4 T butter, melted
4-5 t orange zest
½ c orange juice
2 eggs
½ t anise extract
3½ - 4 c flour
1 t salt
Optional but recommended:
5 colored raw eggs
egg wash (1 egg and 1 t water)
glaze and sprinkles (powdered sugar, milk or orange juice, and sprinkles)
Directions
Prepare a lightly floured surface or board, and prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper or a baking mat. In a large bowl, mix your warmed milk and sugar together, then add the yeast while stirring. Set this aside while the yeast starts to bubble, for about 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, soften the butter until it's starting to melt, and let it sit to cool off for a minute. Then whisk in the orange zest, orange juice, eggs, and anise extract until smooth.
After the yeast has formed a foam, pour the orange mix into the large bowl and stir gently. Slowly add the salt and the flour into the large bowl as well, going 1 cup at a time until your dough comes together. After 3 cups, add a little flour at a time so you don't overdo it. The dough should be slightly sticky, but not sticky enough to cling to your hands as you knead.
On your lightly floured board, knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. Place the dough into an oiled bowl to prevent sticking, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for 1 hour to rise.
Once the dough has risen to about double, place it back on your lightly floured surface (it's important to not incorporate too much more flour into the dough as you roll!). Separate it into 3 even sections, and roll each one as evenly as possible into a long rope, about 1½ - 2 feet long. Braid the three ropes together loosely – they'll need space to rise further. On your prepared sheet pan, arrange the braid into a wreath, and pinch the ends together. Tuck your colored raw eggs into the braid – they'll become hard-boiled in the oven!
Cover the wreath gently with plastic wrap, and let rise for another hour. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Then, with your egg wash, brush the ring, avoiding the colored eggs to keep the dye from running.(*Note: my wreath puffed up too much and closed up in the middle. It may be wise to put something in the middle of the wreath after you form it – a ramekin or something similar – and then leave that in the wreath as it bakes as well!)
Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until a golden brown. Let cool slightly before moving to a rack to cool further.
Optional glaze: In a small bowl, mix together ⅔ cup confectioners sugar and 2 - 2½ t orange juice or milk. Drizzle the glaze over the bread, avoiding the eggs. Add sprinkles if you'd like!
Happy Eating,
Natalie