Shroro

The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest - March, 2005

Syrian Orthodox Easter Bread

By Mariyam Saraha Daniel

Breakfast on Easter Sunday in Mesopotamia is of white foods: yogurt, cheese, eggs, and milk puddings and round, oval or plaited flat loaves of this mildly spiced bread.

1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast (about half the normal packet)
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons warm water plus another 150ml 450g plain white flour
1 teaspoon ground spices (most importantly cinnamon, perhaps cloves and allspice too)
120g salted butter
Big pinch bicarbonate of soda
1 beaten egg to glaze
Optional blanched almonds to decorate

Dessert: serves 4-6. Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Beat yeast and half a teaspoon of the sugar with the 5 tablespoons of warm water. Leave in a warm place for 10 minutes or so.

Whiz the flour and spices with the butter (cut into small cubes) for a few seconds until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix the baking soda and rest of the sugar, then the yeast mixture. While the machine is running, gradually add warm water until you have a medium-soft dough. This takes anything from a couple of tablespoons under 150ml, to 5 or 6 tablespoons. When the texture is right, exchange the metal blade for the plastic and process until smooth and well "kneaded" (1-2 minutes).

Put dough in a loosely covered bowl in a warm place until it has doubled in size and the surface has begun to crack. Then knock it down, knead briefly again and cut into three pieces. Form each of these into a ball. Roll the balls out into flat circles about 1cm thick and put on oiled baking sheets. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise again for about 20 minutes. Before baking, press almonds into the surface in hearts, crosses, stars, and flowers or indent similar shapes with your fingertips, keeping the patterns appropriately crude, primal, and ageless. Brush all over with beaten egg. Bake at 220-230C/425-450F/Gas 7-8; for 15-20 minutes.

A recipe from my Grand Mamma's recipe book