You will find this recipe on the Carluccio's caffe website (www.carluccios.com/recipes).

It is one of the many fine Italian Easter breads that incorporate whole eggs to celebrate the Easter festival.

When I first made this bread many years ago I assumed that the egg would break, but it doesn't. What you get is a hard-baked egg that can be removed from the bread, taken from its shell and enjoyed with the bread.

Do take care to wash the eggs carefully before inserting them into the bread, though. This is important.

YOU WILL NEED: 225g (8oz) soft lard. You can use butter, but lard gives an authentic taste.

100g (3oz) hard pecorino cheese - grated 100g (3oz) Parmesan cheese - grated 100g (3oz) provolone cheese - very finely grated 100g (3oz) Neapolitan sausage - cut into very small cubes 1 tbspn freshly ground black pepper 1 tbspn salt 8 eggs.

For the dough you will need: 600g (1lb 5oz) type 00 (dippio zero) flour 60g (2oz) soft lard 55g (1oz) fresh yeast 200ml (7fl oz) lukewarm water.

METHOD: To make the dough, put the flour in a bowl and rub in the lard.

Dissolve the yeast in the water, add to the flour and mix well to form a dough.

Knead for 10-15 minutes, until soft and silky, then put in a bowl, cover with a cloth and leave for about two hours, until double in size.

Knock back the risen dough and knead it briefly to eliminate air bubbles.

Flatten it into a rectangle 3cm (1 in) thick, then dot half the lard, cheeses and sausage over it and sprinkle with half the pepper and salt.

Fold up the bottom third of the dough then fold down the top third and knead to distribute the ingredients and work in the lard.

Flatten it into a rectangle again and cover with the remaining lard, cheeses and repeat the folding and kneading.

Place the dough in a greased 25cm (10 in) ring mould for the traditional effect or lay it on a greased baking tray in a ring shape or divide it into two or four smaller loaves, then cover and leave to rise for another two hours.

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F or gas mark 5.

Wash the eggs and push them halfway into the dough.

Bake for an hour, then remove from the oven and leave to cool.

This bread can be kept for a few days as the cheese keeps it moist.