Casatiello is a traditional Neapolitan bread that’s prepared at Easter to celebrate the end of Lent. It’s a bread heavy with meaning—the halo of hard-boiled eggs and crosses on top of the bread represent new life and recall the biblical Passion of Jesus. But with its stuffing of cheeses and cured meats, Casatiello is also a rich, delicious addition to any Easter celebration.

The salty and lard-based Casatiello uses a dough that’s the ideal vehicle for meats and cheeses. Traditionally, Neapolitans stuff this bread with ciccioli, a native creation that’s a cross between cracklins and lard, but if you can’t find that, you can also substitute pancetta or guanciale. While you could swap butter for lard, the texture and taste of your dough won’t be the same. Look for lard in your supermarket’s baking or dry goods section, or you can also ask your butcher if you can’t find a shelf-stable variety. 

It may seem strange to add hard-boiled eggs to the bread with their shell still on, but they make for a dramatic presentation when cut into. To eat, take the egg out of its little bread cage and remove the shell; shell removal can be done either before or after cutting the loaf into slices.