. For some reason, I thought of it the other day and called up my friend and ex boss to ask her what the name of the bakery was. I could not remember it. Unfortunately, Zito's went out of business. I trolled around the internet and found this recipe, which is as close as you're ever going to get to the real thing. data-pin-do=)
Prosciutto Ring
September 4, 2015
There was this Italian bakery on Bleecker Street in New York city called Zito's that sold this prosciutto bread that was to die for. We would buy it and eat the entire loaf, usually with a bottle of wine (after office hours, of course). For some reason, I thought of it the other day and called up my friend and ex boss to ask her what the name of the bakery was. I could not remember it. Unfortunately, Zito's went out of business. I trolled around the internet and found this recipe, which is as close as you're ever going to get to the real thing.
- Prep: 1 hrs 10 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Yields: Makes 1 ring
Ingredients
2 cups plus 3 Tbs bread flour or unbleached all purpose flour
1 Tbs malt syrup, honey or sugar
scant 1/2 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper
4 tsp bacon fat, lard, or butter, melted
1 cup water, 70 - 90 degrees F
3/4 cup proscuitto, pepperoni, and hot sopressta sausage, cut into 1/4 - 1/2 inch pieces
Directions
1Using the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, thoroughly combine 2 cups flour, black pepper, cayenne pepper and yeast. Add salt and mix. (Note: the salt is added after mixing to avoid it coming into direct contact with the yeast.)
2Swapping to the dough hook, add water and malt syrup (or honey or sugar) to bowl and combine with flour at low speed (#2 on a Kitchen Aid) until moistened. Increase speed to medium (#4 on a KA) and knead for seven minutes. Add prosciutto and mix in on low. Dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky. If it is too sticky add a bit more flour a tablespoon at a time and knead in, if too dry, spray with a bit of water and knead in.
3Dump dough onto a lightly floured counter, shape into a ball, dust lightly with flour, brush with bacon fat (or lard or butter) and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
4Place baking stone or a baking sheet on the bottom shelf of the oven and a baking sheet on the bottom of the oven. Heat oven to 450F.
5Roll dough into an 18-inch rope, form into a ring, overlapping ends by two inches on a sheet of parchment paper. Cover with a large bowl or oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in bulk - about one hour.
6Transfer bread on parchment to stone or baking sheet. (Use a peel if bread is on parchment.) Toss half a dozen ice cubes into the pan on the bottom of the oven.
7Bake for 15 minutes, remove parchment, and rotate bread 180 degrees. Bake another five minutes and reduce heat to 400F. Cook another 10 to 15 minutes. Turn oven off, prop open door, and leave the bread in the oven for five minutes.
8Remove bread from oven, brush again with bacon fat or butter, and allow to cool completely.
3 Reviews
Jenn W
August 9, 2020
This recipe taste just like the lard bread I used to buy in Brooklyn. So tasty and delicious, I have made it two time in the same week, it doesn’t last long in my house.
Gerry V
April 10, 2020
I never had prosciutto bread before. Last September I was visiting friends in Queens NY, and they had a loaf, as well as onion bread. I purchased 5 loaves before coming home (4hour ride). They were all moldy the next day. Maybe from fresh baked to refridge then cooler for fide home.
I called the store, but they wouldn’t give me the recipe.
I googled many recipies, but none had lard in the ingredients,then I found this recipe.
I followed all the directions but left it as a loaf not a ring. I used domestic prosciutto as its less expensive / less moist. I did add some hard salami (wine cured) which complimented the prosciutto flavor throughout the bread. I used organic honey for the yeast starter, and REAL lard. Most recipes called for veg or olive oil…..NOPE!! ITS LARD BREAD, and olive oil is too distinct in flavor. The bread itself was a nice texture, crisp outer crust, but the bread itself was more like Italian bread or sausage roll in texture. The store version was more soft almost like a Hallah or Brioche. I used Gold Medal AP flour. Not sure if makes a difference versus bread flour.
Overall, a very close version , and I will try to get the texture to my liking
P.S. Americas Test Kitchen’s recipe called for beer to “ramp up” the yeasty flavor. SORRY, no beer in authentic version.
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Rose
June 6, 2021
Sounds like the one I grew up with. Only difference is we put the cold cuts packed in dough, then folded the top together, not mixed in dough. I will use this but change to my mom’s old way. Thank you