Noni's Easter Egg Bread Baskets

by Miaja Rocciola

Easter, that joyous celebration of Christians all over the world which commemorates the Resurrection, includes many festivities that originated with the pagan rites of Spring.  Those were dedicated to Eostre, the goddess of light, and the rabbit and the egg-her fertility symbols-remain with us to this day.  Italian Easter Breads (otherwise know as Noni's Easter Egg Bread Baskets) are topped with eggs that cook as the breads bake.  The eggs are for good luck,  held in place by criss-crossed strips of dough and traditionally baked during Holy Week.

Noni's Easter Egg Bread Baskets

1-1/4 cups very warm milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
2 envelopes of active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
5 to 6 cups of unsifted all-purpose flour
12 uncooked eggs in the shell
1 egg
1 teaspoon water

1.  Combine 1 cup of very warm milk (it should be comfortably warm when dropped on wrist), the 1 cup sugar, butter and salt in a large bowl.  Stir until most of the butter is melted.

2.  Sprinkle yeast and the 1 teaspoon sugar into the remaining milk in a 1 cup measure; stir to dissolve.  Let stand to proof until bubbly and doubled in volume, about 10 minutes.

3.  Stir beaten eggs, then yeast mixture, into the butter mixture.  Beat in 5 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms.

4.  Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface.  Knead 8 to 12 minutes or until smooth and elastic.  (Use only enough remaining flour necessary to prevent sticking.)

5.  Place dough in a large buttered bowl, turning to bring buttered side up; cover.  Let rise in a warm place, away from a draft, about 1-1/2 hours or until double in volume.

6.  Punch dough down.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide into 14 equal pieces.  Shape 12 of the pieces into round buns about 3/4 inches thick, and place on 2 large, greased cookie sheets.  Press down center of each with a tablespoon to make a hollow.  Gently press an egg into each hollow.

7.  Shape the remaining pieces of dough into two long thin rolls about 13 inches long; cut each into 12 pieces.  Shape each piece into a very thin strip about 6 inches long.  Cross 2 over each egg, tucking the ends under the bun.8.  Let rise in a warm place 45 minutes to 1 hour or until double in volume.  Beat the 1 egg with the 1 teaspoon of water; brush dough with mixture.

9.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Cover tops of buns loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.  Bake 15 minutes longer or until golden brown and buns sound hollow when tapped with fingers.  Cool on wire rack. 

Makes 12 individual bread baskets.

**Can be made alternatively with pastel colored eggs or with red dyed eggs to represent Christ's blood.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BellaLunaToys/