Merry Christmas Everyone,

I hope everyone has a lovely holiday and spending time with family and friends 🙂

Today will write about a traditional bread usually made for Christmas Eve, it is very easy, quick and without milk and eggs.

Something interesting about the tradition:

In Bulgaria, there are a lot of traditions for different celebrations and Christmas is one of the big ones as in any country. As times changes, not all the traditions are kept and some are lost or changed but will try to explain briefly how the bread is prepared for Christmas Eve. Usually, all meals prepared have meaning and the bread as well. Traditionally is placed in the middle of the table surrounded by other meals all of which should be an uneven number. The bread is decorated with four figures, representing the four world directions, as well each having a different meaning. The figures are – sun, cross, chicken, grapes. The sun symbolizes light and warmth, the cross symbolizes Christianity, grapes prosperity and the small chicken represent the happiness and freedom of small kids.

The edge of the bread is decorated with a wheat class, representing the Earth. While kneading in the dough is placed a metal coin representing the iron and for the person who receives the piece with it, is like a wish to be so strong as iron. Usually, the oldest person on the table break the bread into pieces first of which is placed in front of the home icon, the second is for the house and after that, the pieces are given to each person on the table starting from the oldest to the youngest.

Now the recipe:

Servinges: 10-15 (depending how is separate into pieces)

Time to prepare: 15 min

Time to bake : 40 min

How to:

1. In a small cup or sauce bowl, place the soda bicarbonate, baking soda, lemon juice or vinegar and 2- 3 tbsp from the entire amount of water -mix well.
2. In a big bowl, add the rest of the water, the mixture from the small bowl, olive oil and salt. Mix well.
3. Slowly start adding the flour with a spoon until you have added it all. You will receive a soft mixture-dough.
4. On a clean surface, spread the flour for kneading.
5. Place the dough into the surface covered with flour and start kneading until it absorbs all the flour. You should receive a soft dough.
6. Leave to rest for about 20 min on the kneading service.
7. If you want to make figures on the top, take out about 100 gr from the dough and leave it aside.
8. In a round baking tray covered with the baking paper, place the rest of the dough and press to the bottom and the sides of the tray.
9. Add 2 – 3 tbsp flour to the figures dough and knead until you receive a more hard mixture, so you can form the figures.
10. Form the desired figures and place them on the top of the bread.
11. With a fork, you can form lines at the edge of the bread, just press the fork to the top of the bread.
12. Bake in preheated oven for 40 min at 180 to 200 degrees.
13. After taking it out of the oven, cover it with a mixture of oil and water.
14. Leave to cool for a bit and enjoy while it is still warm or later when it is cold.

Enjoy 🙂