Pizza al Formaggio Umbra: Traditional Easter Cheese Bread Recipe from Italy
🌿 Pizza al Formaggio Umbra
The traditional Easter cheese bread from Nonna Loredana
There are recipes you don’t just learn…
you inherit them.
This traditional Umbrian Easter cheese bread, known as Pizza al Formaggio, is one of those.
It was my grandmother Loredana who taught me how to make it —
not with written instructions, but with gestures, patience, and love.
Every year, just before Easter, her kitchen would come alive with the smell of rising dough, aged cheese, and anticipation.
🕊️ What is Pizza al Formaggio?
Despite the name, this is not a pizza.
Pizza al Formaggio Umbra is a tall, savory bread made with eggs, olive oil, and a mix of local cheeses like pecorino and Parmigiano Reggiano.
It is traditionally prepared during Easter in Umbria and central Italy,
and enjoyed on Easter morning with cured meats, boiled eggs, and a glass of wine.
This recipe is a symbol of celebration, family, and the arrival of spring.
🍝 Ingredients for traditional Umbrian Easter cheese bread
To prepare this authentic recipe, you will need:
500 g all-purpose flour
4 eggs
150 ml milk
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
100 g Parmigiano Reggiano (grated)
75 g pecorino cheese (grated)
100 g semi-hard cheese (such as Emmentaler)
20 g fresh yeast
Salt and black pepper
👉 Tip: always use high-quality ingredients — especially olive oil and cheese — for the best result.
✨ How to make Pizza al Formaggio (step-by-step)
Dissolve the fresh yeast in warm milk.
In a large bowl, mix the flour with the grated cheeses.
Add the eggs and begin mixing.
Slowly pour in the milk with yeast, then the olive oil.
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
Add salt and black pepper.
Let the dough rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours, until doubled.
Transfer to a tall baking mold.
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 50–60 minutes, until golden brown.
Let it cool slightly before slicing — if you can resist the smell!
💛 The secret of this recipe
Nonna Loredana used to say:
“Don’t rush the dough… it needs time, just like people.”
And this is exactly what slow cooking means to us.
Not just following a recipe —
but respecting time, ingredients, and tradition.
🌿 Learn this recipe at our Slow Cooking School in Italy
At our Slow Cooking School in Umbria, we teach traditional Italian recipes just like this one.
But more than that, we share:
authentic techniques passed down through generations
the stories behind each dish
the joy of cooking and eating together
Our classes include handmade pasta, seasonal recipes, and experiences connected to the land.
👉 Join our cooking class in Italy:
https://slowcookingschool.regiondo.com/slow-organic-cooking-class-in-the-hearth-of-italy
