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) 

1 lb. fresh pecorino cheese (aged 1 to 2 months) * 

1 lb. aged pecorino cheese (aged 3 to 6 months) * 

*NOTES 

* “OO” flour is high gluten flour that proofs extremely well.  Purchase at a specialty or Italian store 

If these two cheeses with specific age months cannot be found, check the specialty or Italian store for other options 

Preparation:

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