That of casatiello is a fairly complex recipe. The main ingredients are wheat flour, seasoning fats, cheese and eggs; almost all of them also put Neapolitan salami. This makes it impossible to attribute specific nutritional purposes and a role in the diet to it. It is rich in lipids and complex carbohydrates, an aspect that determines its high caloric value. There is also no shortage of fiber, vitamins, minerals, cholesterol, etc.
Casatiello can be used as a secondary snack, mid-morning or mid-afternoon. In the main meals of a balanced diet it is difficult to contextualize because, providing many calories and engaging digestion, it does not leave much space for the inclusion of other foods.
The casatiello recipe is not too complicated but rather long; to be successful, it must be scrupulously respected. Later we will go into more detail.
650 gProcedure for the salty casatiello
- Warm the water and dissolve the brewer's yeast in it
- In a bowl or in a stand mixer with hook attachment, add the oil and lard, mixing / kneading at low speed until the mixture becomes fairly uniform.
- Add half the flour a little at a time, forming a batter
- Add the fine salt and the rest of the flour all together, increasing the mixing rate
- After about 10 "transfer to a pastry board and separate 50-80 g - intended to make strips of dough to cage the eggs on top
- Cut the caciocavallo and salami into cubes and wash the eggs
- Roll out the dough by hand, maintaining a thickness of about 1 cm, and add the cubes of caciocavallo, salami and ground black pepper; then close it or roll it up, then knead it manually making it uniform
- Give the dough the shape of a loaf and lay it - closing it in a ring - in a 24 cm diameter donut pan previously greased or non-stick
- With the previously separated compound, make strips; half sink the eggs into the dough and enclose them with the latter forming a cross
- Cover everything with a twist and leave to rise until it reaches double the volume. The time will vary considerably according to the environment; if the temperature is below 20 ° C it may take half a day, while in the leavening chamber, a couple of hours may be enough. Using sourdough or sourdough, the time is more likely to be 12 hours
- Preheat the oven in static mode to 170 ° C; bake the casatiello and wait about an hour and a half. Pay attention to the position of the casatiello in the oven, that it is not too exposed above or below
- Let it cool down to prevent it from breaking; then unmold and serve sliced.
It contains fiber in moderate amounts, while cholesterol is abundant. It provides gluten, lactose, purines and phenylalanine amino acids at significant levels, which means that they can harm hypersensitive individuals. It is possible that, in case of particularly marked intolerance, the concentration of histamine and / or histamine liberating foods may also be problematic.
Casatiello has an interesting vitamin profile, even if very prolonged cooking tends to significantly impoverish it. It has an "excellent concentration of water-soluble molecules of group B, such as thiamine (vit B1), riboflavin (vit B2), niacin (vit PP), pyridoxine (vit B6) and cobalamin (vit B12). There are also fat-soluble molecules , such as retinol and its equivalents (vit A and RAE) and calciferol (vit D); small concentrations of vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) are shown. With regard to minerals, the levels of phosphorus, iron and zinc stand out above all; interesting also the quantities of calcium and potassium.The sodium level, undoubtedly significant, can be considered excessive.
Casatiello is contraindicated in nutritional therapy against overweight, due to the "calorie excess, a large part of which is attributable to lipids. For the non-negligible level of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids - even if lower than unsaturated - it can be considered unsuitable for ordinary diet of those suffering from hypercholesterolemia It also has a glycemic load such as to negatively affect the diet for type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertriglyceridemia. By respecting the original recipe, which contains aged cheese and salami, and also provides for the addition of salt, a product that is not relevant in the diet against sodium sensitive primary arterial hypertension is obtained. Casatiello should also be consumed in moderation in case of hyperuricemia, especially with gouty attacks, and a tendency to uric acid-induced renal lithiasis (stones). It is also not considered relevant to dietary therapy against phenylketonuria. It should be totally excluded from the celiac regime. In case of lactose intolerance, its adequacy depends on the level of individual sensitivity to milk sugar. The same goes for "histamine intolerance".
Containing a good dose of high biological value proteins, it helps to satisfy the nutritional requirements of those who find themselves in a condition of increased need for essential amino acids. Casatiello also contributes to the satisfaction of the needs of phosphorus, a mineral very abundant in the organism - in particular in the bones in the form of hydroxyapatite, in the phospholipids of cell membranes and in nervous tissue etc. It is an appreciable source of bioavailable iron and participates in the coverage of the relative metabolic requirement, higher in fertile women, pregnant women, marathon runners and vegetarians - especially in vegans who, obviously, would never eat this food. Note: iron deficiency can cause iron deficiency anemia. The zinc content - essential for the hormonal and enzymatic antioxidant production - it is appreciable but not particularly high. The calcium intake is such as to be considered useful even in the case of increased nutritional requirements, mainly linked to bone metabolism - during growth, gestation, greater risk of osteoporosis, etc.
Casatiello is very rich in B vitamins, all coenzyme factors of great importance in cellular processes. It can therefore be considered an excellent support for the functioning of the various body tissues; it abounds in vitamin B12, which is especially important during gestation. Retinol (vit A proper) is instead necessary for maintaining visual and reproductive function and cell differentiation; the equivalent retinol instead - for example the carotenoids, vitamin precursors of the previous one - have an antioxidant effect. Vitamin D or calciferol, rare in food, is necessary for skeletal metabolism and decisively supports the immune system. Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) constitutes an antioxidant barrier of excellence.
Il casatiello does not respect vegan and vegetarian criteria. It is also not suitable for the Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish and Muslim religious diet.
The average portion of casatiello is about 50 g.
