Recipe - New Years Day Vasilopitta Bread

2 tablespoon Dry yeast
One fourth cup Warm water
One half teaspoon Each.. cinnamon, anise
seeds, orange peel
1 Bay leaf
1 ounce Ouzo (optional)
One half cup Water
One half cup Hot milk
One fourth pound Butter
7 cup Unbleached flour, unsifted
1 cup Sugar
One half teaspoon Salt
3 Eggs
12 Walnut halves

The Greeks wrap coins in foil and knead them into this bread. They believe
anyone who finds a coin will have good luck in the coming year.

Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. Put spices, orange peel,bay
leaf, and ouzo in a pot with the One half cup water and bring to a boil. Set
aside to steep and cool. Heat milk and remove from heat. Add the butter and
allow the milk to cool slightly. Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a large
bowl. Mix in eggs, yeast, milk mixture, and flavored water (remove only
the bay leaf) Stir the mixture until all the flour has been absorbed.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth,
about 20 minutes. Place in a buttered bowl, and flip the dough so the top
is greased as well. Cover with a towel dampened with hot water. Set in a
warm, draft free place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 46 hours.

Punch down the dough and knead for about 5 minutes. Shape into one large
round loaf and decorate the top with walnut halves. Set aside to rise once
more, about 2 hours (uncovered). Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 1 hour.

Makes 1 loaf.

Origin: Hearth and Home Companion Shared by: Sharon Stevens.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini