Potica

“Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. No one who come to me will ever be hungry again.  Those who believe in me will never thirst.’”  John 6:35

Many many years ago my mother gave me a wonderful Kitchen Aid mixer with a dough hook.  I have been in love with this machine since day one.  It is still going strong and yesterday this beautiful loaf of Potica came from my oven.  Kendry is overjoyed when he sees the mixer on the kitchen counter…just like his mother he loves the dough!   He grabs the hook and then runs off to find his own little spot to wait until the bread comes out of the oven. 

It gives the home a heavenly smell while it is baking and it tastes even better.   I am a bread eater and I think I could live on eating this bread alone.  The recipe comes from our La Dolce Vita Buffo recipe book. 

1 package dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup warm milk – 110 degrees

1/4 cup butter, soft

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

4 1/2 cups unsifted flour

2 eggs

3/4 pound walnuts, ground

1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Sprinkle yeast over milk and sugar in small bowl; stir until dissolved, let rest for 10 minutes

2. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat 1/4 cup butter with the butter with 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy.   Add salt, 2 beaten eggs, and then the yeast mixture; beat well.

3. Gradually add flour; stir until smooth.  Turn out on lightly floured surface, knead with hands until smooth and elastic about 10 minutes.  I let my mixer to this for me!

4. Place in lightly greased large bowl; turn to bring up greased side.  Cover with towel; let rise in warm place until double in bulk about 1 hour.

5. Make Filling:  In medium bowl, slightly beat eggs, add ground nuts, honey, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla; stir until well blended.

6. Punch down dough on lightly floured surface, roll out to a 24 (or more) inch square.  Spread with filling.  Rollup like a jelly roll.  Curl dough in a coil , leaving no opening in center.  Place on greased cookie sheet.   Yesterday I put mine in a Bundt pan and it was awesome.

7. Let rise until double in bulk about 1 hour covered.

8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread 40 to  50 minutes or until it sounds hollow when rapped with knuckle.  Remove from cookie sheet, let cool on wire rack. 

Making Bread is like connecting with our spiritual self.  Jesus was here for us as a spiritual “Bread” and  told us that if we partake of His wonderful bread, we will never hunger again.  I’m so glad I have learned to heed his word and make bread.