Not for the faint hearted, a big Macedonian breakfast is just that, BIG. Big flavours, big servings and definitely big on calories. Eggs, kolbasi, bread and feta, balanced with the sweetness of fresh tomato. Of course there are no hard and fast rules, depending on the season extras can include grilled or fried  chillies, ajvar, fried tomatoes and ham.

According to my dad, the Macedonian breakfast is a meal fit for a king, in fact, he’d often exclaim to my mum “Vesa, even the Prime Minister doesn’t eat this good!”.

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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
350g kolbasi, cut in 3cm lengths (approximately 2 large homemade kolbasi or try csaba, chorizo, pepperoni sausages)
2-3 large tomatoes, cut into segments
4-8 large free-range or organic eggs
8 slices of thick bread (use homemade bread or Vienna, ciabatta or sourdough), toasted (toasting is optional)
80g feta cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method
1) Arrange kolbasi in medium non-stick frying pan, cut side down over a low-medium heat. Allow the natural fats to release and fry until browned all over (10-15 mins). Remove and rest on plate with 2 paper towels to drain, keep warm.

2) Wipe frying pan clean and place on medium heat, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive and crack open eggs, sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry sunnyside up or to your liking.
Note: Wiping the frying pan clean is optional, if you prefer use the left over oil to fry your eggs.

3) Arrange tomato wedges, cheese, kolbasi, bread and egg/s on each plate, serve while hot.

Tips:
- Cut kolbasi while very cold or slightly frozen to help hold their shape when frying.
- During winter replace fresh tomato with fried tomatoes or ajvar.

Is there such a thing as a ‘banana bread connoisseur’? If there is, I think I’m one of them, as I’ve certainly consumed my share of banana bread, especially during pregnancy!!

This is a seriously good banana bread, adapted by Tana Ramsay’s banana and apple loaf recipe, the only difference being that I prefer pear over apple and enjoy the crunch of walnuts too.

If you’re planning a brunch or afternoon tea for your Christmas celebrations, this would make a lovely addition. Bake the day before and toast before serving with a knob of butter and dusting of icing sugar. Alternatively, you can always save this recipe for another day when you need to use up bananas and pears on the turn.

Be sure to have a gorgeous Christmas and New Year!!

Love, Suzanna

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Recipe

Serves 10-12

Ingredients
1 cup (115 grams) walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
4 medium-sized ripe bananas, mashed
1 pear, peeled and coarsly grated
2 large free-range eggs, beaten
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated brown sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups (250 grams) self raising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
pinch of salt

Icing sugar to serve (optional)

Method
1) Preheat oven to 150°C and toast walnuts on a tray for 5-10 minutes or until fragrant. Once cooled, coarsly chop and set aside.

2) Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease and line a rectangular loaf tin (approx. 12 x 40cm).

3) In a bowl mash bananas with a fork or potato masher, add grated pear and mix to combine.

4) Using an electric hand-held mixer (medium setting), beat the eggs, sugar and butter until pale and creamy (approx. 5-7 minutes).

5) Stir in the mashed bananas and pear and sieve in the flour and other dry ingredients.

6) Once well mixed, tip into the loaf tin and bake for 40-45 minutes.

7) Remove to a wire wrack and cool in the tin for 20-30 minutes. Remove from the tin onto the rack and finish cooling completely before slicing.

8) Serve toasted with a sprinkling of icing and knob of butter.

Tips:
- Replace walnuts with pecans and pear with apple or carrot.
- Freezes well for up to three months.

I was the kind of child that didn’t care what others thought, I proudly took mum’s home cooking to school for lunch. This included anything from maznik, sandwiches with salami, feta and olives, or during winter I’d take a thermos of kompiri mandza (potato stew). To my surprise, I was the envy of my friends who were stuck with devon sandwiches…yuck!!

Similarly, Gjurgia, this weeks guest recipe contributor was called ‘fancy’ buy her school mates when she feasted on her mums Macedonian ‘French Toast’. The irony for her was that her packed lunch was a cheap alternative for her mum to make, especially since they didn’t have much money in the early days.

Although this is a breakfast dish, I’ve been know to enjoy it for a quick lunch or dinner. Unlike ‘French Toast’, this Macedonian alternative is served savory rather than sweet. So instead of drizzling with honey or maple syrup, its a crumbling of feta cheese. Try this for an easy and impressive brunch for friends, they’ll never go back to sweet French Toast again!

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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
6 organic or free range eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup (180ml) full cream milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 slices of thick day old bread
Olive oil
Butter (optional)

50g feta cheese, coarsely crumbled to serve

Method
1) Combine eggs, milk, salt and black pepper to taste in a shallow bowl. Whisk with a fork until well combined.

2) Preheat oven to 180°C.

3) Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Dip 2 bread slices in egg mixture for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side or until well soaked. Hold over dish to drain. Add soaked bread to pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Transfer to a baking tray and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining bread, remembering to heat a little extra oil each time.

4) To serve, place two slices of toast on each plate and crumble with feta.

Tips:
- Depeding on the size of your eggs and the type of bread used you may require more or less eggs and milk.
- Also serve with slices of fresh tomato.

The lead up to Easter is a time of fasting, reflection and sacrifice, but come Easter Sunday, the celebration and feast is on!

As part of my families Easter tradition, in the early hours of Sunday morning, following midnight mass, we devour Baba Tala’s incredible kozinjak.

Kozinjak is a heavenly sweet bread that everyone adores, so much so that my cousin has renamed it kozin-’yum’! I like to think of kozinjak as Macedonia’s version of a hot cross buns, but oh so much better!

Baba Cveta, my grandfathers sister taught Baba Tala how to make kozinjak as a young bride. The recipe has been in the family for over 60 years and I’m extremely excited to be able to pass it on for others to enjoy.

Making kozinjak

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Recipe

Serves 16

Ingredients
Sponge (yeast mix)
3/4 cup (185ml) full cream milk
3 tablespoons (40g) dry yeast (or 6 x 7g satchels)
1 teaspoon (12g) caster sugar
1 tablespoon (6g) plain flour

Dough
6 large organic or free-range eggs, room temperature
1 1/3 cup (250g) caster sugar
2/3 cup (150ml) vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
1 1/4 cup (310ml) full cream milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon (8g) vanillin sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
10 cups (1kg) white bread flour (‘00’), sifted, plus extra for dusting
3 drops yellow food colouring (optional)

250g raisins
1 organic or free-range egg, lightly whisked for brushing
Sesame seeds for sprinkling

Method
1) Gently heat milk to luke warm (blood temperature). In a small bowl combine milk, dry yeast, sugar, flour and mix until smooth (1-2 minutes). Allow to rest until double in size (7-10 minutes).

2) In a large bowl or pot combine eggs, sugar, oil, milk and vanillin sugar. Lightly whisk until well combined (3 minutes). Add lemon zest, plain flour and sponge (yeast mix). Use one hand to scrunch and knead the dough, while the other turns the bowl/pot. Continue kneading until the dough starts to feel smooth and moves as one (7-10 minutes). Dust the top with flour and make a cross using the edge of your hand (a tradition of baba’s to reminder us that bread is from God) and cover with a tea towel or lid. Allow to rest in a warm place until double in size (approx 60 minutes, depending on the weather).
Note: The dough should be quite wet, if it is too too dry add an extra tablespoon or two of milk.

3) Once the dough has risen knead for a further 3-5 minutes in the same bowl or pot, cover and allow to prove in a warm spot again (approx 30 minutes).

4) Oil a large round tin (40cm diameter) and line with baking paper.

5) Once risen, add raisins and knead for a further 5-7 minutes, scrunching and turning the bowl/pot until the raisins are evenly mixed through. Oil a large clean bench or table and turn out dough onto oiled surface. Divide into 3 equal portions, use your hands to roll and shape into long sausages (60cm in length). Gather at the top and gently fold over each sausage into a plait. Stretch out any sections that are thicker, so that the plait is the same thickness. Cut off the two end sections (these will be used for the centre). Shape the plait into a round ring and carefully place in baking tin. Combine the two cut off ends and roll into a sausage, then wrap into a knot and place into centre of the ring. Loosely cover with a clean tea towel and allow to stand in a warm spot for dough to relax (approx. 30 minutes).

6) Preheat oven to 200ºc.

7) Once the dough has relaxed, brush with lightly beaten egg (you may not need it all) and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

8) Bake for 10 minutes at 200ºc, or until the top starts to brown. Cover loosely with a sheet of foil and bake for a further 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 150ºc, bake for another 10-15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 100ºc, remove foil and bake for a final 15-20 minutes or until cooked through, test with skewer (approx. 50-60 minutes in total).

9) Remove kozinjak from tin and eat immediately or wrap in a clean tablecloth (or a couple of tea towels) to keep warm.

10) Serve while warm or at room temperature.

Tips:
- Eggs and milk must be at room temperature, if cold gently heat over a very low heat to blood temperature.
- If it’s a cold day, prove the dough in very low oven (100°C), keeping the oven door open.
- Freeze leftover kozinjak for up to 2 months and reheat in the microwave.
- For a smaller kozinjak half this recipe, use a smaller round tin and reduce the baking times slightly.
- If your eggs are not yellow enough in colour add 3-4 drops of food colouring.

I’m always on the lookout for a cheaters version of my beloved Macedonia favourites. Although nothing beats the taste of fresh homemade pastry sheets, I rarely have half a day to make the sheets from scratch. So when I stumbled across the super thin wheat wraps made by Mountain Bread, I knew I was onto something BIG!!

Mum often makes her cheats zelnik with fresh lavash, a thin and soft Middle Eastern flatbread. It makes for a quick substitute, although the texture is nothing like zelnik, and unless you add a good measure of water to help soak the bread, the final result is too dry.

I made this cheats zelnik with softened leek, but you can try other classic fillings like spinach and cheese, tomatoey onion, or sugary apple and walnut.

Making cheats zelnik

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Recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients
1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil (e.g. canola or rice bran oil)
2 large leeks, white and light green part chopped, dark green outer leaves discarded
Sea salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon mild paprika
1 x 200g packet Mountain Bread Wheat Wraps (if not available use another thin wheat based bread)

Method
1) Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over low-medium heat, add leek and sprinkle with salt to taste, gently fry until leek has collapsed but not browned (10 minutes). Once cooked remove from heat and allow to cool.

2) Preheat oven to 180°C and brush a medium rectangular baking tray with oil. If necessary cut bread length to fit into tray snugly.

3) Place 1 sheet of bread in the the tray and evenly scatter leek. Brush another piece of bread with oil and place on top, scatter with leek and repeat with remaining bread and leek. To finish brush top layer with oil.

4) Bake for 15 minutes, then turn oven down to 160°C and bake for further 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden.

5) Serve while warm or at room temperature as meze or a light meal with yoghurt or buttermilk.

Tips:
- Try other traditional zelnik fillngs like spinach and cheese, tomaty onion, potato and leek.

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Recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
400g raw walnut halves
4-6 cups water
6 tablespoons pomegranate paste or molasses (available in Middle Eastern grocery stores)
1  onion, coarsely grated
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
500-700g chicken pieces (4-6 pieces preferably with bones and skin off)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
3-4 saffron threads
2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
1/2 teaspoon golpar (optional, available in Middle Eastern grocery stores)

Directions
1) Using a mortar and pestle or food processor grind walnuts finely until sticky, but do not over-process.

2) In a large saucepan or casserole add the walnuts, 4 cups of water, pomegranate and stir until well combined.

3) Add onion, pepper, salt, turmeric and stir. Place the saucepan or casserole over medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stir frequently to avoid burning. Once the sauce has darkened in colour (a result of the oil released from the walnuts) add chicken pieces and vegetable oil, stir to coat. Allow to simmer and cook gently for 1.5 hours, adding remaining water as necessary and gently stirring to prevent scorching.

4) Add tomato paste, saffron, lemon juice, golpar and simmer for a further 30 minutes.
Note: If you prefer no bones take out chicken pieces from stew before adding other ingredients and remove skin and bones, shred the meat and return to stew.

5) Adjust seasoning if necessary, add more salt or lemon depending on your taste. If you prefer it sweet add a pinch of sugar. The end result will be a thick sauce, rich brown in colour.  Serve with plain or saffron basmati rice.

Tips:
- In the north of Iran this recipe is sour, other regions prefer a sweet and sour flavour, the taste will depend on the type of pomegranate paste.
- Although not traditional I think this recipe would work with a scattering of fresh pomegranate.

Last year my gorgeous husband and I spent three weeks celebrating our wedding anniversary in New York City. During our stay in Manhattan we sampled a lot of food and ate at some incredible restaurants, including the famous Balthazar, Lupa by Mario Batali, Public, DBGB, Peasant, Craft and Inoteca…just to name a few. Naturally one thing we ate a lot of was pizza; because if there’s one thing New Yorkers really know, it’s pizza!

Outside the The Standard, Meatpacking, NYC

We had many variations, traditional margarita, white cheese and clam and a divine goats cheese, pancetta and caramelised onion pizza by Batali. For me the highlight pizza was a really simple thin crust white cheese, prosciutto and rocket combo from Emporio. It was heavenly! And I have been trying my best to replicate it ever since.

My hubby in front of the famous Lombardi’s Pizza, Soho, NCY

The pizza dough recipe is from an Italian friend that runs a small pizza bar. The secret to the fluffy dough is the addition of milk. Making pizza dough from scratch does take a little effort but it really isn’t that hard. If you’re pressed for time replace with a thin Lebanese pita bread or flour tortilla/wrap.

Once you’re an expert, you can get creative and try all sorts of variations, we have been enjoying a beautiful fig and goats cheese pizza thanks to Sprouted Kitchen. The only danger here is that you’ll never want to eat pizza out again!

How to make pizza
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Recipe

Makes 3 smaller or 2 large pizzas

Ingredients
Pizza dough
Sponge (yeast mix)
1 x 7g satchel dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon bread flour
1/4 cup (60ml) lukewarm water

250g (2 cups) bread flour, sifted, plus extra to dust
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2 tablespoons milk, room temperature
130ml (1/2 cup) lukewarm water

Ground semolina flour for dusting (optional)

Topping
120g taleggio cheese, cut into cubes
160g bocconcini cheese, torn or thinly sliced (2-3 balls per pizza)
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Sea salt

2 handfuls rocket leaves, washed and dried
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

12 extra thin slices of prosciutto

Method
1) Stir yeast, sugar, flour and water in a small bowl until smooth (1 minute). Allow to rest (7-10 minutes) or until doubled in size.

2) Meanwhile sift flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.

3) Once the sponge (yeast mix) has doubled in size add to the centre of the well, along with the olive oil, milk and water. Begin to slowly incorporate with your fingers, as the dough starts to come together turn out onto a flour dusted surface and knead with both hands until the dough starts to feel smooth and elastic (5-7 minutes). Roll the dough into a neat ball, dust the bowl with flour and place the dough in the bowl, brush the top with a little oil to prevent a crust from forming. Cover with a clean tea towel and stand in a warm place for 2-3 hours until doubled in size.

4) After 2-3 hours preheat oven to 220ºc and place a large flat baking tray (I use a Bessemer oven pan), pizza stone or granite slab on the bottom shelf.

5) Remove the dough to a flour-dusted surface and knead it around a bit to knock the air out. Divide into two or three portions and roll each into a ball. You can use the dough immediately or keep it wrapped in plastic wrap, in the fridge (or freezer) until required. If using straight away, place one of the balls on a lightly floured surface and use the palm of your hand to flatten into a round or oval shape (depending on your tray). Gently push out the dough with your fingertips until 5mm thick, leaving a slightly thicker edge to prevent the topping from running off, alternatively use a rolling pin to evenly roll out. Place on a sheet of aluminum foil which has been brushed with olive oil and dusted with ground semolina flour (use plain flour if unavailable). Allow to stand for 15-20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Note: If you have guests coming over and would like to get the rolling out of the way simply stack the pizzas on sheets of foil, being sure to brush the top of each pizza base with olive oil to avoid the dough from sticking, cover with plastic wrap and pop them into the fridge until required.

6) Have the two cheeses, olive oil, salt and pepper close by then carefully remove the pre-warmed tray, pizza stone or granite slab from the oven using a triple-wrapped tea towel and place one of the pizza bases on it. Working quickly as the dough will begin to bubble, scatter over bocconcini and taleggio, drizzle over olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the base is crisp and golden.

7) Meanwhile prepare the rocket. In a medium bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, whisk vigorously with a fork to emulsify, add rocket, using your fingers gently toss to coat. Set aside until required.

8) Place pizza on a cutting board, cut into 4 slices (6 slices if oval/rectangular shaped), drape prosciutto over each slice. Scatter the dressed rocket over the hot pizza and serve.

Tip: Once you have mastered making beautiful crisp pizzas, use the same dough recipe to make a calzones.

It’s Easter this week and I have made it my mission to post as many traditional recipes as I possibly can.

While fasting, a staple is homemade bread, but my baba’s bread isn’t any bread. Many (including myself) have tried to replicate her recipe and technique and although it tastes good, we just can’t seem to get it as fluffy. Everyone in my family agrees that no one makes bread better than baba. We all love it so much that we’ve lovingly named it ‘Baba Bread’. There’s no mystery about the ingredients (flour, water, yeast, salt) but it’s the technique that makes this deliciously soft bread a favorite.

Making bread is easy, it’s an ancient technique and I’d love for you to give it a go. You’ll love the delicious and sweet yeasty smell that fills your home.

Baba making bread

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Recipe

Makes 1 medium loaf

Ingredients
Sponge (yeast mix)
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon dried yeast (or 2 x 7g satchel)
1/4 cup (60ml) lukewarm water

Dough
4 1/2 cups (560g) plain white bread flour (‘00’), plus extra for dusting
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 cups (560ml) lukewarm water

Method
1) Stir yeast, flour and water in a small bowl until smooth (1 minute). Allow to rest (7-10 minutes) or until double in size.

2) Meanwhile sift flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.

3) Once the sponge (yeast mix) has doubled in size add to the centre of the well and some of the lukewarm water. Begin to slowly incorporate with your fingers. Gradually add all the water and as the dough starts to come together use one hand to scrunch while the other turns the bowl until the dough starts to feel smooth and moves as one (7-10 minutes). Every so often scrape off some of the dough stuck to your hand with a spoon. To finish, pull the dough from the outside edge into the centre with your finger tips until you have a ball. Using the edge of your hand make a cross on top (baba’s tradition to reminder us that bread is from God). Dust the top with flour and cover with a tea towel. Allow to rest for 30-60 minutes (depending on the weather) or until double in size.
Note: The dough will be wet and sticky, however this makes a very soft bread. For a dry dough which is easier to knead add a little more flour.

4) Oil a 20-24cm round cake tin and dust the base with flour.

5) Once the dough has risen knead for a further 3-5 minutes in the same bowl. To finish, pull the dough from the outside edge into the centre with your finger tips until you have a lovely neat ball. Turn the dough over so that the top is smooth, dust with flour and place into the oiled and flour dusted cake tin. Loosely cover with a clean tea towel an allow to rest for a further 30 minutes.

6) Preheat oven to 200ºc.

7) Bake for 10 minutes at 200ºc. After 10 minutes the top should start to brown slightly, cover the top with a sheet of foil and bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove the foil and reduce oven temperature to 100ºc and bake for a final 10 minutes (30 minutes in total).

8) Remove bread from tin and eat immediately or wrap in a clean tablecloth (or a couple of tea towels) to keep warm.

Tips:
- The wetter the dough the softer your bread will be. For a firmer dough/bread, add more flour.
- Keep any leftover bread in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat in the microwave or grill.

Most cultures have their special version of the humble crépe, in the Balkans they’re called palachinki. Like other traditional recipes this one calls for a couple of basic ingredients, so you can make them at any time. Unlike the French who like their’s Suzette, I like my baba’s unique garlic and walnut dipping sauce.

If your not up for the robust taste of raw garlic, you can always opt to eat them plain with homemade jam or perhaps smothered with nutella and rolled up. Occasionally I go for ajvar (chilli spread) and a generous amount of crumbled feta…yum!!! However you like to eat your palachinki I encourage you to try this recipe, the combination of garlic and walnuts is really interesting and delicious too.

With lent in full swing, many Christians are fasting and eliminating all meat and dairy for a vegan diet. The last week of lent calls for leaving oil out too! Palachinki are a common staple during this period. Simply leave out the egg and milk (and the oil during the final week) and add a little more water.

Layer the palachinki

Enjoy the interesting combination of garlic and walnuts

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Recipe

Makes 6-8 palachinki

Ingredients
Batter
1 cup (125g) plain flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups (440ml) water (or 1 cup water and 3/4 cup milk)
1 tablespoon (20ml) vegetable or light olive oil, plus extra for greasing

Garlic dipping sauce
1-2 garlic cloves, finely grated/crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup hot water

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely crushed for sprinkling

Method
1) Sift the flour, bicarbonate soda and salt into a medium mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Break the egg into the well and work in some of the flour with a fork. Add water, olive oil and loosely incorporate with fork, then whisk until smooth and airy (I use a hand held electric beater for 3-5 minutes).

2) Heat a medium non-stick frying pan (low-medium heat). Wipe the pan with an oiled tissue/paper towel. Pour mixture into a jug or use a ladle. Lift pan from the heat, then pour/ladle in the batter and swirl to spread to the edges of the pan so you get a nice thin, even layer (only ladle in enough batter to cover the bottom thinly). Set back over heat, cook for 2-3 minutes until the batter appears dry on top, gently peel around the edges with the spatula and flip using your fingers to aid (be gentle as it will tear easily). Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until golden in colour and flip one more time, this time the palachinka will bubble and puff up as the moisture escapes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest. Oil the pan before frying each palachinka.
Note: Stir the batter every so often to avoid a gluggy mixture, it should be consistent and watery.

3) Once all the palachinki are cooked, prepare your garlic dipping sauce. Combine garlic, salt and olive oil in a medium bowl and mix well. Stir in the boiling water and allow to cool slightly (3-5 minutes).

4) Quickly bath/soak each palachinka in the garlic sauce, place on a plate then sprinkle with crushed walnuts. Repeat the process and finish with a final drizzle of the sauce, a sprinkling of extra walnuts and a drizzle of olive oil. Slice and serve while warm or at room temperature.

Tips:
- To make this a vegan recipe leave out the egg and milk and replace with extra water.
- Rather than stacking, roll each palchinka into a cylinder and cut in half to make easy to eat portions.

Kifli, or kiflici as they are otherwise known are a much loved Eastern European delicacy. Some make them with butter and sour cream, others with lard. My families recipe is a much healthier variation, using vegetable oil and milk. The texture is soft and fluffy, ideal for moping up a juicy tomato salad or lutenka.

Often filled with a mixture of creamy cottage cheese and feta, you can get adventurous and fill with plum jam and walnuts or even nutella, sprinkling with brown sugar rather than sesame seeds.

Kifli process

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Recipe

Makes 48

Ingredients
Sponge (yeast mix)
1/3 cup (80ml) lukewarm water
2 (7g) packet dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons 00 plain bread flour

Dough
6 1/2 cups (815g) 00 plain bread flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
2 organic or free-range eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup (185ml) water, room temperature
3/4 cup (185ml) milk, room temperature
3/4 cup (185ml) vegetable oil (e.g. canola), plus extra for drizzling

Filling
200g feta cheese, crumbled
250g cottage cheese, room temperature

1 organic or free-range egg, lightly beaten for brushing
Sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)

You will need:
• Small bowl or mug (for sponge)
• Large bowl (for dough)
• Damp tea towel (to cover the resting dough)
• Clean table or workbench
• Rolling pin
• Cake spatula
• 2 large baking trays
• Brush

Method
1) Stir sugar, yeast and flour in a small bowl/mug until smooth (1 minute). Allow to rest (7-10 minutes) or until double in size.

2) Grease 2 large baking trays with vegetable oil.

3) In a medium bowl combine the cottage cheese and feta cheese, mix well and set aside.

4) In a large bowl add sifted flour and salt and make a well in the centre, add sponge (yeast mix), eggs, water, milk and oil. Using your fingers start to incorporate the wet ingredients with the flour, as the dough starts to come together begin to knead with one hand while the other turns the bowl (5-7 minutes). Using the edge of your hand make a cross on top (this is my gorgeous baba’s tradition). Dust the top with flour and cover with a damp tea towel. Allow to rest for 15-20 minutes or until double in size and the cross has expanded.

5) Once the dough has risen knead for a further 1-2 minutes in the bowl and turn out onto a flour dusted surface, dust the top of the dough with extra flour and gently roll to cover all over. Using a spatula cut into 6 equal portions and knead into 6 round balls, set aside and cover with a tea towel.

6) Take one of the balls and flatten with the palm of your hand into an even circle approximately 20cm in size. Dust the top with flour and use a rolling pin roll out to 35-40cm circle. Drizzle with oil and gently spread out using your finger tips. Cut into 8 even quarters. Working quickly add a heaped teaspoon of the cheese filling at the top of each quarter, turn the corners in slightly and roll the dough over the filling towards the centre until half way, now stretch the dough back towards you slightly (5cm) to lengthen (this will give you a nice envelope shape), continue rolling over with the end neatly hidden underneath. Arrange on tray and repeat with the remaining dough, working as quickly as possible. Allow the first tray to rest uncovered and relax for 15-20 minutes, then brush with lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds, allow to stand for a further 10-15 minutes. Repeat this process with second tray, allowing 15-20 minutes of resting time before brushing with egg and resting again for a further 10-15 minutes.

7) Preheat oven to 200°C.

8) Bake the first tray which has been resting for 5 minutes at 200°C or until lightly golden on the edges, reduce oven temperature to 150°C and bake for another 5 minutes, finally reduce oven to 100°C baking for 5-10 minutes or until lightly golden all over. Bake the second tray in the same manner.

9) Once baked allow to stand for 5-10 minutes and remove from tray. Serve while warm or at room temperature as meze with lutenka or a tomato salad during summer. During winter enjoy with a cup of warm tea for breakfast or a glass of red wine in the evening.

Tip: Kifli freeze well for up to 3 months, simply defrost, reheat in the oven and serve while warm.