Preparation

To prepare the Cuddura cull'ova, start by mixing the flour in a large bowl. Add the sugar, sifted baking powder and grated lemon zest. Incorporate the lard and lightly beaten eggs. Start mixing everything directly in the bowl with your hands, kneading vigorously until you obtain a homogeneous dough.

Transfer the dough onto a work surface and continue kneading until it becomes smooth and even. The dough should be soft but not too sticky. Take out about 90 g of dough at a time, covering the rest to prevent it from drying out.

Divide each portion into three equal parts. With the help of a little flour, form sticks about 1 cm thick and of the same length. Join the three ends of the strips and gently plait them together to form a braid. Close the braid by forming a circle and gently pinching the ends together.

For the decoration, wash the eggs well and dry them. Place an egg in the centre of the braid, pressing it gently. Take a small portion of the dough, form it into a stick, and divide it in half. Place the two halves crosswise on the egg and press gently on the dough to make it stick.

Continue this process until all the dough is used up, resulting in 10 cudduras. Place them on the baking tray, spacing them out. Brush the cudduras with beaten egg and decorate them with coloured sprinkles.

Bake in a static oven preheated to 200°C for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Once ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool before serving.