~ Reunited w/a Treasured Preschutti Family Recipe: Peppery Egg & Cheese Crescia for an Italian Easter~

At Easter, Italian cooks bake a very unique, peppery egg and cheese bread called crescia (kray-shah), which means "to grow".  As with almost all ethnic recipes, there are as many versions as there are cooks.  My husband and his brother Tom grew up loving this bread, and I admit to being intimidated when I was faced with developing a recipe for the two of them based solely upon how they recalled it from their youth in Jessup, PA (without any first hand knowledge of it personally).  After talking to a few Italian relatives from Jessup, who actually make the bread (who I must report, in true Italian "don't reveal any secrets tradition", not even once, in my thirty-three years of marriage to Joe, EVER shared a recipe with me that worked from the get-go), I became a bit crazed.  In my foodie world I strive to pass on delicious recipes that work, period. Once I caught onto their "you'll get it right next time dear" attitudes, I no longer allowed the differences in their respective recipes to affect my ability to cook their food.  I started using the similarities in them to develop spot-on, Mel versions that rival the best of theirs.  I am pleased to report that I did develop a Crescia recipe that my husband and his brother deem "excellent". My recipe (pictured below) for ~ Italian Easter:  Peppery Egg & Cheese Crescia ~, along with all of my detailed instructions and step-by-step photos can be found in Categories 5, 11, 12 or 22!

Imagine my glee when Joe forwarded this e-mail to me!!!

C.  Joe's 1st cousin Lisa Nelson who lives in Paradise, California says:  Just in time for Easter!  I remember this is when my dad [Joe's and Tom's Uncle Geno Preschutti] always made Crescia.  I found his recipe and it is in his own handwriting too.  Please pass this along to Melanie and tell her I enjoy her Kitchen Encounters website.  I check it out quite often, especially when I am looking for some ideas of what to cook for dinner.  Hope all is well with you and your family.  It would be great if all of us Preschutti/Galuardi's could get together soon.  Have a wonderful holiday, enjoy your Spring, and, remember:  You might live live in Happy Valley, PA, but we live in Paradise, CA!

A. Kitchen Encounters: Lisa, you have restored a treasured family recipe to the family recipe box and I cannot thank you enough.  I fondly remember visiting Uncle Geno and Aunt Betty in Santa Cruz.  He was a fantastic cook, and, I just know his recipe is "spot on".  One of my favorites times was the night he put the giant polenta board on the table, spread the polenta over it, then topped it with sauce and sausage.  We all picked up a fork and ate our way to the center!

Note to Readers:  The Preschutti family immigrated from Gubbio, Marches, Italy, to America in 1906.  Crescia's origin is the Marches, and The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, claims that Gubbio is actually the place where cheese crescia originated.  Since Uncle Geno's mother was born and raised in Gubbio, this recipe has a direct connection to the originators of this delicacy!

Enjoy your weekend everyone, have a lovely Palm Sunday, and, once again:  To leave a comment or ask a question, simply click on the blue title of any post, scroll to the end of it and type away... or e-mail me directly!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2013)

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Comments

[Kitchen Encounters]

Lynda, my aluminum "custard" molds are quite old. After searching I could not find them either. However, custard molds and charlotte molds have the same shape, with charlotte molds having handles. Here is the link, and, you'll want to purchase the 4" diameter size (it is exactly the same dimensions as my pans):

http://www.pastrychef.com/CHARLOTTE-MOLDS_p_1205.html

[Lynda]

Hi Melanie,

Thank you for posting this recipe.
There was a bakery in our town that made this each year. You had to phone in your order.
Please reply back and advise where I can buy the round bread pan. I have searched the internet and cannot find it.
Buona Pascqua!
Thank you.
Lynda

[Kitchen Encounters]

Lisa! Your comment made my day -- my husband's too! I have not tried the handwritten vintage recipe (yet). To get my recipe with the step-by-step photos, remember to click into Categories 5, 11, 12 or 22. Happy Easter to you and yours. ~ Melanie

[Lisa]

Oh how I THANK YOU for posting this recipe. My Mother-in-law used to make this for Easter every year and I miss it so much. This morning I spoke to all the cousins left and asked if the knew what the name of this wonderful bread was and they all answered NO. I was heartbroken as I'm getting older and miss so many of the wonderful traditional dishes I used to have on holidays Thanks to you and your post we will all try this wonderful bread this Easter.

[Joe Preschutti]

The Preschutti family immigrated(1906)from Gubbio, Marches, Italy. Crescia's origin is the Marches, and the Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten claims that Gubbio is actually the place where Cheese Crescia originated. Since Uncle Geno's mom was born and raised in Gubbio this recipe has a direct connection to the originators of this delicacy. Thank you, cousin Lisa, and wife Melanie, for preserving this delicious heritage item.

[Kitchen Encounters]

Teresa! My best foodie friend on earth. You made my day!!!

[TERESA GOTTIER]

P.S. I love what Lisa wrote!

[TERESA GOTTIER]

What a priceless gift you've given to Joe and Tom- a special foodie memory and labor of love. Truly a family heirloom!