For as long as I can remember my Mom made these for Easter and the New Year. We are Italians from Constantinople, commonly known as Istanbul. We loved these traditions of making the tsourekia and as kids we could look forward to this ritual, we knew what to expect. It was an all day affair as the dough took very long to rise and then because my Mom usually made a big batch for us and to give to friends who were not able to make them, it also took quite long to bake all the breads. For many years when I was living in the States, I tried to make these but was never able to make them, my Mom cooks with her own brand of "a little of this and a little of that" but of course for these she had more exact measurements, however I was still a new bride and didn't know how to cook an egg. Also terms like "warm" meant little to me. I wanted exactness, I was an ex banker after all. Also her directions as to what to look for in texture and things like that left me dumbfounded, needless to say for 27 years I never managed to make the breads. Mom suggested that we didn't have the right kind of butter in Massachusetts, so one spring my Dad and Mom drove the 250 miles to our home in Pittsfield. She brought everything with her. Yeast, butter, milk, flour, mastiha, mahlepi, sugar etc etc. We were not going to fail, no, no. My Mom, Nonna to the kids was showing me ohw to make them and of course she had been making these since 1950, besides she was an expert baker and cook. Well the breads turned out lovely bevause basically my Mother made them, but I never felt quite sure of myself and when my husband and I tried to make these, we could never get the dough to unstick,... he kept saying " add more flour" I knew we could not do this as the breads would turn out tough, you had to knead them to make them unstick and become smooth. So another year without the breads. It was a big disappointment because it was a tradition that I cherished and wanted to preserve for my children... and this was frustrating my efforts.
Fast forward to 2009 and I am on the computer, browsing ebay, checking email, checking up on my kids on facebook, I wander to the recipes as I am always looking for supper ideas. I went searching for some turkish recipes stumbled upon Binnur"s turkish cookbook. I recognise many dishes that my Mom cooks and then lo and behold I see something called Paskalya tsourek. What? The Turks are a muslim country, why would they have something labeled " Easter bread"? The author explained that in Turkey there many different cultures living there and that everyone enjoys these easter breads as a matter of course. Well it was worth a try. I looked over the recipe. I noted something unusual in that it called for egg "yolks" instead of the whole "eggs"
I was excited to try this, one last time and if this did not work out we would continue buying the tsourekia from the Marche Village. A greek lady makes them for the store and they are very good, but she does not use mastiha in her breads. Now mastiha is the resin from special pine trees that grow in Greece and Turkey and adds a very disinct and pleasant flavor to the breads.
S, I gather my supplies and start. I google yeast. I was always terrified of yeast, no not the infection! I look up how to proof the yeast without killing it! Warm means 105-115 degrees, finally information I can use. Ok I follow the directions gingerly, I am nervous..I will not keep you in suspense any longer, the breads were so easy to make, it was ridiculous! My theory is that the egg whites are left out and hence the dough is quicker and easier to knead. THE CURSE WAS OVER . Yea that's how I thought of it, the curse, like the Boston Red Sox curse! I was soo giddy. They turned out so delicious, finally I had done it. So here is the recipe for 8 tsourekia, this can be doubled easily but I suggest you start out with 8 because more is harder knead.
Tsourekia/Pites
4 packs Fleischmans yeast ( check expiration date)
1 cup warm milk ( 105=115 degrees) use thermometer
4tsp sugar
16 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 pound unsalted butter melted
4 tsp mastiha ( middle eastern or greek grocery stores)
4 tsp mahlepi ( same)
20 egg yolks room temp, save whites and make merengue cookies or egg white omelet
4 cups warm milk ( 105-115 degrees)
3 cups sugar
For the tops
4 yolks with a few tsp water mixed together
Procedure
Please follow exact order
In a pyrex see through measuring cup, mix the yeast, sugar and 1 cup warm milk, stiiring well for yeast to dissolve. Let it rest for 15 min/ It should double in size.
In a large bowl. sift the flour ( I don't do this part works fine) and salt. Add the melted butter, mastiha, mahlepi and the bubbly yeast mixture in the flour
Whisk the egg yolks,milk and sugar and pour in the flour. Mix and place the dough on a lightly floured counter.
Knead well for 10- 15 min until it becomes smooth ( no more crumbs)
Then spread some olice oil inside a large clean pan or bowl. Place the dough in it and spread a little more oil with your hands all over the dough.
Cover with a clean damp towel. Put aside in a warm room for 7-8 hours until dough rises to double its size.
Shape into braids ( easter) or rounds ( Christmas/New years)
Brush with egg yolk and water mixture.
Bake in preheated over 350 degrees for 50 min approx or until top is golden.
On the New Years pita, we shape the dough into numerals to reflect whichever new year it will be. Also we place a washed loonie in the dough and when it is cut at New Years the person who get the loonie in her
piece will have good luck throughout the year!
Christos Anesti and Eftihismenos o kenourios hronos!
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