When was the last time you made bread?

Even though the Atkins diet has faded away, I still find that people feel guilty about eating bread. When I was growing up, bread wasn't an indulgence - it was a staple, something we ate every day. Now, it seems that bread has become a taboo. We're so worried about our waistlines that we've forgotten the sheer pleasure of biting into a floury, yeasty piece of bread fresh from the oven.

To hell with bran flakes and protein bars! I'm all for being fit and healthy, but I think it is incredibly sexy when a person knows how ~ and when ~ to indulge. There is something about the occasional hunk of warm bread that can make you feel very, very happy. Are you getting hungry yet? Are you feeling just a little bit naughty?

Well, good. Now we're getting somewhere.

When was the last time you made bread? Can you even remember? Most people never make bread. That's why I think you should try it this weekend, preferably with - or at least for - someone you love (even if that someone is you!). I've written up one of my favorite Italian bread recipes for you, and I know you're going to love it. It's called casatiello, and it is filled with delicious things.

Take it slowly - sink your hands into the dough and feel the sensation of the stickyness in your hands. Feel it change as you knead more flour into the dough, from sticky to smooth and elastic. Enjoy yourself. Making this bread is a series of stops and starts - the dough has to rise, and so you'll have something to do, and then you'll have nothing to do for a long time, and then you'll have to attend to it again. Think of it as a finicky lover.

If you're patient with it, you'll end up with an indulgence that is well worth the effort... I promise! For pictures to guide you through the steps, click here: Making Casatiello: A Photolog

Casatiello

• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons coarsely grated Parmigiano
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 c chopped dry salami
• 1/4 c chopped pancetta
• 8 whole large eggs
• Coarse sea salt

In a deep mixing bowl, combine the water and sugar. Sprinkle the dry yeast over the top. Let it sit for about ten minutes, until the surface of the water becomes foamy; that is a sign that the yeast is active and working. Add 3 1/2 cups of flour and salt, stirring to combine, and form the dough into a ball with your hands.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about five minutes. Slowly incorporate the last 1/2 cup of flour, using firm, smooth strokes. When all of the flour has been incorporated, and the dough is pliant and elastic,  form it into a ball. Place the dough into an oiled bowl; cover and let rest in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, or until it has raised to double.

Remove the dough to a floured work surface. With the palm of your hand, gently punch the dough down and divide it into two equal parts. Put one part aside, and flatten the other piece into a rough rectangular shape. It will be uneven; that is fine. Brush generously with olive oil. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with the grated cheese, pepper, salami and pancetta.

Roll the dough lenthwise into a tube to cover the fillings, and curve the tube around to make a circle. Place into an oiled bundt pan. You can use a jello mold or a brioche mold as well - whatever oven-safe container that you have handy. Oil the pan even if it has a nonstick coating.

Take four whole raw eggs and place them equal distance from each other on top of the bread. Don't press them down too far, because as the bread bakes, it will rise up around them. Repeat all of the same steps with the second piece of bread dough.

Place the bread into a cold oven for 5-6 hours or overnight. Just before baking, remove the pan from the oven and preheat the oven to 400 F. Cook the bread for one hour. Remove from oven, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Serve immediately, or save for later!