TRADITIONAL ITALIAN EASTER MEAL RECIPES

Steps:

• Day 1:.
• Starter:.
• Combine water and sugar in bowl of heavy-duty mixer. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes. Using rubber spatula, mix in flour (dough will be firm). Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let starter rise until puffy, about 45 minutes. (Initially the starter is firm and compact, but it softens and becomes puffy and spongy after rising.)
• For step 2:.
• Attach dough hook to mixer. Add all ingredients in step 2 to starter. Beat until blended, scraping down sides of bowl often, about 5 minutes (dough will be soft and thick). Scrape dough off hook; remove hook. Cover bowl with plastic. Let dough rise at room temperature until puffy and bubbly on top, about 1 hour. The dough will look thick, shiny, and slightly puffed.
• For step 3:.
• Reattach clean dough hook. Add first 5 ingredients in step 3 to dough; beat until blended. Add flour. Beat at low speed until smooth, scraping down bowl and hook often, about 5 minutes (dough will be firm and compact). Scrape dough off hook; remove hook. Cover bowl with plastic; let dough rise at room temperature until lighter in texture and slightly puffed, about 3 1/2 hours. The dough will double in volume and become lighter in texture but less glossy.
• For step 4:.
• Reattach clean dough hook. Mix water and yeast in small cup. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes; add to dough. Add 1 1/3 cups flour, half of butter, sugar, and 2 yolks; beat until dough is smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down dough hook and sides of bowl. Add remaining 2 yolks, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat at low speed until blended, about 3 minutes. Scrape down hook. Add remaining 2/3 cup flour, remaining butter, and orange peel. Beat dough until well blended, about 5 minutes. Scrape dough into very large (at least 4-quart) buttered bowl. Cover with plastic. Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled and indentation remains when 2 fingers are pressed about 1/4 inch into dough, 8 to 10 hours.
• Day 2:.
• For step 5:.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour onto work surface. Scrape dough out onto floured work surface (dough will be soft and sticky). Gently toss dough in flour until easy to handle. Brush away excess flour. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Divide 1 piece in half; shape each half into 10-inch-long log.
• Arrange 1 log crosswise in each dove-shaped paper baking mold, curving ends to fit. Roll each remaining dough piece into 11-inch-long log, slightly tapered at ends. Place 1 log across dough in each mold. (If using 2 springform pans, divide dough in half; place half in each prepared pan). Cover molds (or pans) with plastic. Let stand at room temperature until dough rises to top of each mold and indentation remains when 2 fingers are pressed about 1/4 inch into dough, about 3 1/4 hours.
• Glaze and Baking:.
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F Finely grind sugar and whole almonds in processor. Add egg whites and almond extract; blend 10 seconds. Peel plastic off dough in molds. Spoon half of almond glaze over top of each. Sprinkle each with sliced almonds. Sift powdered sugar over. Slide rimless baking sheet under molds; slide molds directly onto oven rack.
• Bake breads until brown on top and slender wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool breads completely on rack. (Can be made ahead. Wrap; let stand at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 week.).

Steps:

• In a bowl mix orange zest, lemon peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, rum, anise liqueur and vanilla extract. Put aside;
• Dissolve the yeast in warm water, mixing it well to help decomposition. Combine the dough with 100 grams of flour, knead quickly and let it rest for about 1 hour;
• Whisk the eggs with the sugar until you get a soft cream, then take the dough again, place it in the planetary bowl and add the eggs with the sugar. Start kneading and as the planetary mixer works, incorporate the rest of the flour and salt;
• Add the macerated aromas and the chocolate drops to the rest of the ingredients inside the mixer bowl, then, once the mixture is mixed and compact, add the yeast at room temperature and knead at low speed until the butter is absorbed. completely;
• When all the ingredients are mixed and the dough does not come off well from the walls of the bowl because the flour / liquid ratio is not in favor of the flour itself, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour;
• After one hour, take the dough again, form a ball and place it in a greased and flour pan. Let the sweet Easter pizza rise until it reaches the edge of the mold;
• Turn the oven on at maximum temperature then place a glass of water on the bottom and place the pan with the Easter pizza on the grill just above the glass of water;
• Cook for at least 45 minutes without NEVER open the oven at 180°C in a fan oven. After the first 45 minutes, check that the cake is cooked by sticking it with a toothpick (if it comes out dry the cake is ready). If it is not, let it cook until the toothpick comes out dry;
• Turn off the oven, open the door and let the sweet pizza cool inside, then take it out of the oven and let it cool completely before cutting it.