lazarakia – sweet little lazarus breads |

O Lord, wishing to see the tomb of Lazarus—for Thou wast soon to dwell by Thine own choice within a tomb—Thou hast asked: ‘Where have ye laid him?’ And, learning that which was already known to Thee, Thou hast cried to him whom Thou hast loved: ‘Lazarus, come forth.’ And he who was without breath obeyed the One who gave him breath, even Thee, the Saviour of our souls
Stichera for Saint Lazarus : vespers of Lazarus Saturday

The tradition of baking these little sweet spice breads hails from Greece and Cyprus and go back such a long way. In Greek they are called Λαζαράκια which means Little Lazaruses. They are prepared and enjoyed to celebrate the miracle of Jesus raising his dear friend Lazarus from the dead and are shaped like a man wrapped in a burial shroud. They are a fast friendly treat in that they have no eggs, or dairy.

Another tradition of the Lazarakia is the one of the sweet spice breads would be kept in the home for the entire year to be eaten the following year or to be thrown into the sea to be eaten by fish. We do not have fish or live by the sea but I suppose having hens, we could feed one to the hens next year. 😉

There are many little “t” traditions that weave within the Orthodox Faith and different lands have grown their own unique customs – enriching the faith and bringing our centering of Christ into our everyday actions and even meals. By eating certain foods only once a year – especially for children – these foods take on a special remembrance and bring a greater depth of faith and anticipation of upcoming feasts. They certainly do not overshadow or take on more importance than our worship but bring it into the everyday-ness of life and community. It becomes our liturgy after the Liturgy.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. It easily doubles. This recipe yields about 12 Lazarakia

Lazarakia : Little Lazarus Breads

Ingredients

200 grams lukewarm water
1-1/2 teaspoons active yeast
75 grams granulated sugar
30 grams olive oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
400 grams all purpose flour
30 grams raisins
30 grams walnuts
20 cloves or chocolate chips

Preparation

Place flour in a bowl and make a well.
Add sugar, lukewarm water and yeast in the well and stir gently (do not break the sides of the well) . Let the mixture sit in the center of the flour to activate the yeast for about 10 minutes
While the yeast is feasting on all that sugar gather your spices and mix them together in a small bow.
Place raisins and walnuts in a blender and pulse to chop and incorporate into a coarse meal
Add the olive oil and spices to the flour bowl and mix to incorporate. Add more flour if necessary. This dough should not stick to your hands but also should not be tough. Knead for about 10 minutes.
Place dough back in bown and cover with a towel. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes
When the dough has rested, divide it into 12 even pieces. I use a kitchen scale ( they are relatively inexpensive and so handy when baking). I measured 62 grams of dough for each ball. This is approximate since depending on the humidity your dough may be heavier.
Break of small pieces of each ball (about 10-12 grams). This will be the piece you wrap around the Lazarakia once it is formed.
Roll each ball out into a flat rectangle – it need not be perfect. Add a small amount of the raisin-walnut mixture to the inside.

Pinch the sides together and form the bread into an oblong shape.

The pinched edges will be the back side of the bread.

The pinched side will become the back of the Lazarakia. I flatten it out as best as I can. Then flatten out the extra piece of dough into a strip – and place one end on the back and wrap it around the Lazarakia into a criss cross .

Lay on cookie sheet lined with parchment or a Silpat. Use cloves or chocolate chips for eyes (when I started this recipe this morning I found out that I was out of whole cloves, hence my adjustment to the recipe!)
Brush with Olive Oil for gloss and bake in 350 oven for 20-30 minutes and take out when fragrant and golden brown.

Enjoy these cookies friends and wishing you every blessing on this Lazarus Saturday and entrance into Holy Week!