and she's rambling again: Potica

As I was growing up I remember my Grandpa coming home with this yummy coffee cake bread, called Potica (Pa-teet-za). It's an old Slovenian/Polish (European) bread. His (older) lady friends in the neighborhood would bake them for him, because he was there "handy" man. Unfortunately, these ladies have past away or they are too old to make anymore. So, this year I am going to learn (and start) making it for him every Christmas. Hopefully starting a new family tradition. This bread needs to stay in the family. It's delicious!

I'm am going to share the recipe with you! (It is a 4 hour project)

2 Teaspoons dry active yeast

½ Cup warm milk

1 Tablespoon sugar

Dissolve yeast and sugar in milk let set 5 minutes to activate the yeast.

Dough

1 ½ Cups Milk

¾ Cups Shortening

5 Egg Yolks

¾ Cups Sugar

2 Teaspoons Salt

1 Tablespoon Vanilla extract

1 Teaspoon Nutmeg

7-7 ½ Cups All purpose Flour

Combine Yeast mixture and the rest (except 2 Cups of flour) mix add the remaining flour until the dough can be handled without sticking. It takes 20 minutes kneading by hand, 9 minutes on a mixer with a bread hook.

Put dough in a large greased bowl and cover with plastic rap and let it relax and double in size in a warm environment.

Walnut Filling

1 stick margarine or butter (¼ pound)

1 ½ Cups milk

2 Cups sugar

½ Cup honey

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Grated peel of a lemon (0r orange)

5 Egg whites

Cinnamon

Some other variations you can add at this stage;

Tbsp Instant coffee, Coco or brandy to taste and to add color.

Start with milk and egg whites in 4 quart saucepan (or double boiler) and bring to 120 F, add margarine, zest and honey, then combine the dry ingredients then add it to the mixture, then bring to a simmer.

Take the mixture off of the heat and add 2 Pounds Walnuts, ground fine.

Roll out the dough pretty thin (about 1/4 inch), spread the filling (should not be hot) on the dough and roll it up.

You want it to end up as a 4 inch diameter cylinder, cut into loaves that will fit in your bread pans. (Good Idea to have a little piece of dough to put over the ends) or you can also use a “bunt” pan.

Cover with plastic wrap and let it relax and rise (not quite double in size).