Prosciutto Bread Recipe (aka Homemade Lard Bread)

Sharing is caring!

This prosciutto bread recipe, also known as lard bread, is made with simple ingredients and prosciutto. Homemade fresh bread made with your favorite deli meat creates the most flavorful Italian-style bread.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Click here for my full disclosure policy.

Prosciutto Bread Ingredients

To make the best prosciutto bread recipe you only need a few simple ingredients that can easily be found in grocery stores or an Italian deli:

• 355 grams cool filtered water (60 degrees F)
• 5 grams active dry yeast
• 605 grams all purpose flour
• 15 grams kosher salt
• 20 grams extra virgin olive oil
• 20 grams cool filtered water (60 degrees F
• 10 oz cut of prosciutto, cut into 1/4″ cubes
• 1 egg

How to Make Homemade Bread

This bread dough is also the base for our artisan French bread recipe as well as other bread recipes that we create, like pepperoni bread. Start with a large bowl and a kitchen scale. You can grab a kitchen scale online here if you don’t have one: 

Pour 355g of water into the large mixing bowl. Make sure that the water is 60 degrees F. This can be done by adding ice cubes to the water, stirring, then removing the ice cubes once the water reaches 60 degrees F.

Next, add the dry active yeast. 

Use a wire whisk to vigorously mix the water and yeast mixture.  

Then carefully add the flour to the bowl. 

Stir the flour and water mixture with a wooden spoon until you begin to form a loose dough. 

Once you have a loosely formed dough, you will knead the dough for 4 minutes. We knead the dough in the bowl. Alternatively, you can turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to knead. Or if you have a stand mixer, knead on low speed using the dough hook attachment in the mixer bowl. You don’t really need any special equipment for this homemade bread recipe. You will be able to get great bread no matter how you knead it. 

After the initial knead add the remaining 20 grams of (60 degrees F) water to the bowl.

Next, add the salt into the bowl with the dough. 

Knead the dough for an additional 6 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap. Set aside at room temperature for 20 minutes and let the dough rest. Then place it into the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Making Prosciutto Bread Loaves 

The main ingredient in this homemade bread recipe is the prosciutto. This is one of the most flavorful cured Italian meats. You can see the pork fat on the piece of prosciutto. Do not trim this off, be sure to incorporate this as this is where the name lard bread comes from. It is also the secret ingredient that gives it its delicious taste. 

Cut the prosciutto into 1/4″ cubes. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, coat the dough with the olive oil, and set aside for 20 minutes. Next, work the chopped prosciutto pieces into the dough.

Mix, fold, turn, and knead until the meat is fully incorporated into the dough. Then place dough into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm area for 20 minutes. 

Preparing Prosciutto Bread Loaves for the Oven

Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or use a bread loaf pan. Then take the dough and cut it into three equal portions. Form each piece into a loaf of bread, and place onto the prepared baking sheet.

Crack an egg into a small dish, whisk, then use a silicone brush to apply an egg wash to each 12-inch loaf. 

The egg wash will create a golden brown crust on the top of the bread. 

Set the fully prepared loaves aside in a warm place for one hour for one last rise. 

Baking Homemade Prosciutto Bread

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

When you set the oven to preheat and before you place the bread into the oven you also need to place an oven-safe dish on the lowest shelf of the oven. We use a cast iron skillet. 

When you place the bread into the preheated oven you will pour a cup of water into the hot dish and then quickly close the oven door. This bit of water will create and trap steam in the oven. This steam prevents the outside of the bread from forming a hard crust too early in the baking process and allows the homemade lard bread to fully rise while baking. The steam also creates a delicious crispy crust.  

Bake for 40-45  minutes until the crispy crust is golden brown. Remove the fresh bread from the oven. Place the bread on a wire rack to cool. 

Homemade Bread with Prosciutto

Make this homemade version of your favorite bread on a Friday afternoon and enjoy it all weekend long. Slice the bread with a sharp knife, and enjoy it alone, make a sandwich with cold cuts, or enjoy it with any pasta dish. 

Make sure to check out all of our homemade bread recipes:

FAQs and Variations 

You are always able to adjust a recipe to your own personal preference. Doing this may yield different results. 

Sharing is caring!