Avgoules

During Holy Week one of the many preparations in a Karpathian home for Greek Orthodox Easter is the baking of 'avgoules.' This tradition is still observed today.

Ingredients:

1 kilogram of flour (2.2 pounds)

1 cups of olive oil

2 soup spoons of yeast

1 soup spoon of salt (to taste)

1 soup spoons of sugar

1 cup of milk (as needed)

1 egg beaten

mix of half a teaspoon of cinnamon, half a teaspoon of cloves, half a teaspoon of nutmeg, teaspoon of gum mastic (all quantities to taste)

15 or as needed hard boiled eggs colored red for Easter

Implementation:

1. Pound the spices in mortar (or use ground spices).

2. Pour the flour in a large bowl and add the ground spices along with the yeast.

3. In another bowl pour the olive oil and the sugar. Combine and mix well and pour into bowl with flour.

4. Mix all ingredients adding milk as needed for the dough.

5. Knead well and cut the dough in pieces several times and knead well again till dough is mixed evenly and sticky.

6. Mold the dough in various bagel like shapes, putting an egg in each. Wipe avgoules with beaten egg using brush, covering the dough. Cook in a pre heated 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes or until they get to a golden brown color.

Happy Easter!