POTICA

DOUGH

• 2 package yeast - dry or compressed
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 cup scalded milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 4 egg yolks
• 8 to 9 cups flour

FILLING

• 1 pound shelled walnuts (grind nuts- makes 4 to 5 c.)
• 1 cup light cream or canned milk
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

DIRECTIONS:

Put yeast in 1/2 cup warm water (not over 105 degrees F.), let stand.
Separate eggs, use yolks for dough, whites for filling.
In small pot scald milk, heat to at least 160 degrees F.
In large bowl, combine scalded milk, sugar, salt, and butter; cool to lukewarm. (by the time the butter melts liquid should be at just about 100 degrees f.)
Add small amount of liquid from the bowl to the egg yolks to temper them, mix well and quickly.
Stir in yolks, yeast and 2 cups flour; beat well.
Add more flour to make stiff dough, knead dough on floured board until smooth.
Put dough in greased bowl, cover with damp cloth, and set in warm place.
Takes 1 to 11/2 hours to rise about double in size.
This makes a rich workable dough.

While dough is rising, grind nuts.
Use a food grinder with 3/16 inch (Coarse) holed plate, or a food processor or blender.
Nuts should be fine but not to fine, 1/8 inch and smaller.

In sauce pan, heat cream to boiling point, remove from heat.
Stir in sugar, salt, and about a teaspoon of lemon rind if you have it.
Stir to allow sugar to disolve.
Stir in nuts and vanilla.
In a small sauce pan, melt butter and stir in a few bread crumbs, brown slightly, and add to nut mixture.
In another bowl beat egg whites until just stiff(do not whip until dry, or they will not fold in well!), and fold into nuts.
Texture should be an easily spreadable walnut nougat.

When dough has risen, spread out large tablecloth or dish towel on table, spread with flour, and put dough on it.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts.
Roll each into about 16 x 9 inch rectangle, cover with damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes, to let gluten relax.
Spread with nut filling, and roll like a jelly roll. Keep roll tight and avoid trapping air inside the rolls.
Put each one seam side down. ends tucked in, into a 9 x 5 loaf pan, greased well.
Put in warm place to rise, cover with cloth should take 1 to 1 1/2 hours to rise.
Heat oven to 350'. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven.
Take out of pans and cool on rack; cover with cloth. Makes four loaves.

Alternate:

Roll dough out on large cloth covered table to about 36 x 18.
When your rolling pin is no longer effective, you can lift and stretch/pull the dough from the underside, using the backs of your hands or palms.
When the dough is thin, spread with nut mixture, and roll like a jelly roll, from the long side to make the longest possible roll. Use the cloth to help roll up the dough evenly after getting the roll started by lifting the cloth.
Coil the roll into a large roasting pan, 24 x 16, it should form a loose spiral of 1 1/2 to 2 loops to allow for rising.

Put in warm place to rise, cover with cloth should take 1 to 1 1/2 hours to rise.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
If you think your oven may be on the hot side, reduce the temputure to 325 or even 300 degrees after 5 minutes, then bake longer if necessary till done.
Tops will be a deep brown and loaves should sound just hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Remove from oven.
Take out of pans and cool on rack; cover with cloth.
Makes four loaves, or one large.

Half Recipe Measures.

A full recipe is to much for many electric mixers. But works well by hand. If you like you can use use the half recipes below and bake just 2 loaves. Or do 2 batches of dough, or use the full recipe and finish by hand when your mixer has got to its limit.