Macedonian Bread

Rich Bread (Pogacha)

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Heat oven to 200o and turn off. Prepare yeast with 1 tbsp. sugar and 1 cup water, stir and set aside for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, sift flour and make a well in the centre. (Set aside two or three cups for kneading. ) Pour butter, oil, salt and eggs into well; then begin adding sugar and water and yeast mixture, working in flour to make a medium-textured dough. Turn out on your work area and knead for 15-20 minutes, using extra flour if necessary. Cut through the dough two or three times with a knife to examine for air holes. When these are evident, the dough has been well kneaded. Set dough into a large roasting pan, which has been lightly greased. Grease top of dough very lightly with butter or oil, so that it will not develop a crust. Cover and place in oven until doubled in bulk, Punch down and allow to rise again. On a lightly oiled surface, dump dough out and cut into sections desired. This dough may be braided; or made into regular loaf pans, or large rounds which are customarily used for weddings. Place in greased pans, place in oven again to rise for about 1 hour. Brush loaves with egg and milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Preheat oven to 300o and bake loaves 1 hour or until done.

Kosinjak

Heat oven to 200o and shut off. Measure flour in a large shallow pan; push to sides to leave a hole in centre. In a small saucepan mix 2 cups milk, 2 cups sugar and lemon rind. Warm to melt sugar. In a large bowl, prepare yeast by mixing 4 tsp. sugar with 1 1/2 cups warm water, sprinkle yeast on top, cover and set aside. Add butter to milk mixture, stir. Beat eggs with electric mixer for 2 minutes, add to milk mixture and stir. Begin to mix dough by pouring 1/2 of milk mixture into the centre of the flour, bringing in flour from all sides by hand; continue adding remaining liquid. Stir yeast and add to dough, mixing with hand as before. Keep dough soft, use both hands and add about 1 cup flour. Knead slightly and turn out on heavily floured table. Knead for about 10 minutes, then cut slashes with a knife in several places (this allows more air to get in dough. Add about 2 cups more of flour, kneading as you work. Cut through twice more while kneading about 5 minutes longer. Total kneading time is about 10 to 15 minutes. Use reserved melted butter when called for hereafter. Lightly grease a warm roasting pan with butter. Lightly grease a clean table top and turn dough once so that all is lightly covered with butter. Place greased dough in pan; butter top with fingertips, so that no crust will form. Cover with cloth and let rise 1 to 1 1/2 hours in warmed oven. Butter 4 loaf pans. Turn dough onto buttered. table and cut into 12 equal strips, 3 at a time, about 9 in. long and 2 in. in diameter. Twirl slightly, braid and tuck ends under and place in loaf pans. Pat evenly on top and touch with butter. Cover and let rise 1 hour until double in bulk in oven. Remove from oven and heat oven to 300o. Beat 1 egg and brush loaves; sprinkle with sesame seeds, bake for 1 hour. Loaves should be light brown on bottom, and deep brown on top. When making a double recipe divide into two parts after mixing together all ingredients and before kneadin~ to make baking easier. Variations: Raisins, nuts or peel may be added to dough if desired. Round or large tube pans may be used. Do not fill more than 1/3 with dough.

Easter Bread

Preheat oven to 200o and shut off. Prepare baking pans, loaves or rounds, and grease them - also a very large roasting pan for rising. Prepare yeast according to package directions. Sift flour and make a well in the middle. Place sugar and salt in well. Mix in a little warm milk to melt sugar and mix in by hand. Begin to: add butter, oil, continue mixing with one hand gathering a little flour from the sides. Put yeast into middle, and then the eggs, all at once, Continue mixing and adding the remainder of the milk, using up all of the flour from the sides. Dough should be neither too soft nor hard. Turn out on table without using more flour. Now knead for 15 minutes. Use a little oil on table if required. Grease a large roasting pan and place dough, covered, to rise in a warm place for about 3 hours. Punch down dough, cover, put in a warm place to rise again - about 1 hour. Oil your table and turn out dough. Divide as required; braid or make loaves or large rounds. Allow to rise for third time about 30 minutes in warm place. Now brush with 2 eggs beaten. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Heat oven to 300o, then bake for about 1 hour - until brown. Foil or brown paper may be used on top-for the last 15 minutes, if too brown.

Plain Bread

Prepare yeast according to package directions. Sift flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle; add salt, oil and yeast; slowly add the lukewarm water, and begin mixing by hand until flour is used UP. Turn out onto floured table and knead for 20 minutes. Dough should be smooth and not stick to hands. Place dough in a greased pan; cover and allow to rise until double in bulk for about 1 1/2 hours in a warm place. Punch down dough, cover and let stand about 15 minutes. Grease loaf pans. Shape dough on floured table to fit pans,1/2 full. Cover and let rise again for 45 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350o oven for about 15 minutes; reduce heat to 300o for 30-45 minutes until bread is done and golden in colour.