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

……………………………………………………………………………………

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 love Easter for a number of reasons. I love the message, I love time spent with family and I love the Orthodox tradition of breaking Easter eggs with family and friends.

After a week of fasting and not eating meat, dairy and even oil, the fast ends on Easter Sunday with the celebration of breaking colourful boiled eggs. It’s a competition, one person holds an egg, while the other person tries to break it by gently hitting with the tip of their boiled egg. The person with the egg that doesn’t break is the winner! The competition has been known to get fierce, there are even stories of people using painted wooden eggs to trick their family and friends. It’s a lot of fun and something we all look forward to every Easter Sunday.

Note: This is a basic recipe and based on the recipe on the back of the dye packet and found on Taste.
……………………………………………………………………………………

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients
12 medium free-range or organic eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon salt

1 x packet red dye powder (available from select delicatessens)
6 cups (1.5 litres) warm water
1/2 cup (125ml) white vinegar
Olive oil, to grease

Method
1) Place eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan. Pour over enough cold water to completely cover and 1 teaspoon of salt (the salt is thought to help stop the eggs from breaking), cover with lid and bring to the boil. Once to the boil reduce heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and drain.

2) Place dye powder and 2 tablespoons of the warm water in saucepan or glass bowl and stir until the dye dissolves. Add vinegar and remaining warm water, stir to combine. Add the hard-boiled eggs to the dye mixture and soak for 3-4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a plate or cake rack and set aside for 40 minutes to dry.

3) To polish the eggs, place a little oil on paper towel and wipe each egg until shiny. Refrigerate until required.

Although a vegan Easter recipe, I enjoy these biscuits all year round. The Greeks, Turks and other Balkan nations have similar recipes which are more biscuit-like. This recipe, although a biscuit is more cake-like and delicious!

Shaping each biscuit
……………………………………………………………………………………

Recipe

Makes 24 biscuits

Ingredients
Syrup
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1 1/2 cups (375ml) water

Dough
2 cups (250g) self-raising flour, sifted
2 cups (250g) plain flour, sifted
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1 cup (250ml) freshly squeezed orange juice (juice of 3-4 oranges), strained
1 cup (250ml) light olive oil (or vegetable oil)
Zest of 1 orange (optional)
1/2 cup (75g) walnut halves
1/2 cup (75g) ground/crushed walnuts, for sprinkling

Method
1) For syrup, bring water and sugar to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened, take off heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

2) Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 trays with baking paper.

3) In a large bowl combine self-raising, plain flour and sugar. Make a well in the centre, add olive oil and orange juice. Using a fork or your fingers start to incorporate the wet and dry ingredients. When the dough starts to come together, use one hand to scrunch and knead until all the ingredients are well combined and you have soft-medium dough mix (3-5 minutes).

4) Scoop 1 heaped tablespoon of the mix into your hand, insert a walnut half into the centre, roll into a sausage shape between both hands to cover the walnut and place on baking tray. Repeat with remaining dough and walnuts.

5) Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven, while still hot quickly dunk each cake into syrup with a slotted spoon, remove from syrup and sprinkle top with crushed walnuts.

6) Eat while warm or serve at room temperature.

Tips:
- These biscuits keep for quite a while as there are no eggs or milk, they also freeze well.
- Add the zest of an orange to the dough for a more intense orange flavour.

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

……………………………………………………………………………………

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

……………………………………………………………………………………

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.