Adventures in Armenian Cooking

HATZ (Breads)

3 cups lukewarm milk
1 cup melted shortening
1 cup suqar
few dashes cinnamon
1 heaping tsp. mahleb, crushed (opt.)
1 tsp. salt
1 yeast cake
1 cup eggs
1 heaping tbsp. B.P.
11-12 cups flour

Heat milk, set aside. Blend shortening, sugar, cinnamon, mahleb, salt, yeast cake, eggs, baking powder and milk together. Add flour a little at a time and mix and knead together. Dough will be a little sticky. To test, roll a piece of dough in hand. Press down; if it springs back, it is ready.

Cover and let rise overnight. roll into desired shape by using small amounts of dough. Put on greased pan (about 12 on each pan). Put same shape on each pan so that it will cook evenly. Let rise again for 2-3 hours. After rising, brush tops with mixture of 1 egg and 1 teaspoon sugar and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake in preheated oven of 400F for 10-15 minutes. Put on the bottom rack of oven until bottom is browned and then move to higher rack.

Makes 48 to 50 rolls

5½ cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter or(butter and shortening)
1 cup milk (warm)
v 3 eggs, beaten
1 dry yeast (dissolve in ¼ cup waryr water and 1 tsp. sugar)

Place dry ingredients in a large bowl, stir and make a well in the center pushing flour mixture to the sides. Pour warm milk, melted butter, beaten eggs and dissolved yeast into well. Blend flour gradually with the liquids using a wooden spoon at first, then using hands, knead dough well, using a dusting of flour as needed to help dough pull away from the sides and bottom of bowl and your hands. Turn dough out on lightly floured surface on board and knead some more using the palms of your hands until when depressed with your fingers, dough springs back. Place back in bowl, cover with wax paper and towel. Set bowl in unheated oven away from drafts and let rise until double or flare in bulk (2 hours). Then turn dough out on floured board, cut one piece at a time, roll with your hand to strips about 6-8 inches long. Shape as desired. Place on lightly greased sheet pans. Brush top with beaten eggs, sprinkle with sesarne seeds and place in unheated oven to rise again (l-1½ hours) draft free.

Bake in preheated 375F oven 15-20 minutes or until delicately browned.

Suggested shapes: braids, twists, figure eights, bow knots.

Makes 40 medium size pieces

1 dry yeast dissolved in cup warm water and 1 tsp. sugar
1 cup margarine
1 cup milk, lukewarm
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
5 to 5½ cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, beaten (for top)

Melt margarine, mix with milk, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and dissolved yeast. Add flour and baking powder to make a soft dough. Let rise until double in size. Punch down and let rise again. Make desired shapes and put cookie sheets. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Let rise on trays about one-half hour.

Bake in preheated 375F oven until golden brown for lO-l2 minutes.

Makes 32 to 35 rolls

10 cups flour
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp salt
2 cups shortening
2 cups warm water
1 dry yeast dissolved in ¼ cup warm water and 1 tsp. sugar

Combine in a large bowl the flour, salt, sugar and shortening. Cut shortening in or work into flour with tips of fingers. Add warm water and yeast. Mix and knead until smooth. Place in unheated oven to rise for two hours, turn dough out on lightly floured board and spread at a time to a thickness of 3/4 inches. Cut diamond shape. Place on a lightly greased sheet pan. Brush top with egg, sprinkle with sesame seed, again place in draft free oven. Let rise ½ to 1 hour.

Bake in preheated 400-425F oven for 20 minutes until golden brown. A fluted cutter makes an attractive edge when cutting dough.

Makes 75 to 80 pieces

3 eggs
3 tsp. sour cream
2 tsp. salt
9½ cups flour
½b. butter
¼ cup shortening
1 tsp. B.P.
1 can evaporated milk, plus warm water to equal 2 cups liquid
1 yeast dissolved in 1 cup warm water

Melt shortening and butter and set aside. Break eggs into large bowl. Add baking powder, sour cream and salt. Beat well. Add combined milk and yeast mixture. Add 4 tablespoons of melted shortening mixture. Add flour a little at a time kneading about 10 minutes until easy to handle. Divide into 14 smooth balls and place on dish towel. Cover and let rise in warm place for ½ hour.

Roll each ball into a rectangular shape approximately 12"x8". Brush with melted butter mixture. Fold lengthwise into thirds. Stretch dough by pulling lengthwise and fold into fourths.

Heat electric griddle or electric frying pan to highest temperature. Roll dough into thick rectangular shapes and cook until golden brown. Adjust heat as necessary, turning and brushing sajoostoo with butter mixture (make sure not to use any of salted part of butter mixture that has settled on bottom of pan).

Makes 14

6 eggs
3 [4] cups milk (2 [3] cups homogenized and 1 cup evaporated milk)
2 tbsp. sour cream
2 yeast cakes dissolved in 1/2 [1] cup warm water
1 tsp. B.P.
4 tbsp. sugar
¼ cup veg. oil
5 lbs. flour
½ lb. butter or margarine and 2 tbsp. shortening (to be used for brushing)
1 tbsp salt
[Numbers in brackets were handwritten over the preceding number by my aunt. Take your pick]

In large bowl break eggs, add sour cream and beat, add warm milk and sugar, then the baking powder and yeast. Add flour and knead until smooth. Add ¼ cup vegetable oil as you knead the dough. Take large ball of dough, put on your table and divide into 12 medium balls and cover for 1 hour.

Take 3 balls of dough and roll each ball out as thin as you can, approximately 44 inches. Then brush with butter and shortening mixture. Fold into thirds and stretch dough as you work with it. Brush top with shortening then fold until you have a 5-inch square. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Take out one at a time, shaping each one into an 8-inch square. Place on tray, brush tops with egg and milk. Press top with fork and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Set aside.

Repeat procedure four more times. Let rise one hour on trays.

Bake in preheated 375 oven for 15-20 minutes.

Makes 12 breads

6 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 yeast cake
½ cup lukewarm water
1 tbsp. sugar
¼ cup milk, cold
¼ tsp. salt
2-3/4 cups flour
1 egg
Filling:
½ lb. taheen
1 cup sugar

Melt butter, dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Add sugar and let rest for S minutes. Add cold milk to melted butter, yeast mixture and salt. Add liquid mixture to flour and knead. Dough should not be soft. Cover and let rise double size, about 2 hours. Divide dough into eight balls, size of oranges. Set in large bowl, cover and let rise again.

Roll each ball of dough thin, size of a dinner plate. Spread 2 tablespoons taheen Over rolled out dough. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over taheen. Roll up from one end like a jelly roll, gently stretch dough from center out to the edge to even the roll, then roll into a pinwheel.

Put on ungreased cookie sheet, cover and chill about 20 minutes in refrigerator. After chilling, flatten each pinwheel with a rolling pin the size of a saucer. Place on greased cookie sheet, baste with beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Bake in preheated 350F oven.

Makes 8 pinwheel shaped breads

7 cups white flour, unbleached
1 cup rye or whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sugar
1 yeast
1 tbsp. sugar
½ cup warm water
4 tbsp. melted shortening
2 cups warm water

Blend first four ingredients in a four-quart saucepan with cover. In a one-cup measuring cup, crumble yeast cake, 1 tablespoon sugar, cup warm water and let set for 5 minutes. To the flour mixture add the yeast mixture along with the melted shortening and 2 cups warm water (or enough water to make a soft dough). Stir together with dry ingredients by hand until flour is absorbed by liquid. Then grease hands with 2 tablespoons shortening and knead (in same saucepan) until dough is smooth, about five minutes. Grease saucepan, turn dough around in pan so that top of dough is greased, cover pan and set aside in warm draft free place to rise until doubled in bulk. (You may heat oven for one minute, turn off and place covered dough in oven.) When doubled, remove from pan and form into 10 balls. Roll each ball into a 3/4" thick circle, cover with plastic and let rise on greased tray until double by placing in oven again.

Remove from oven, remove plastic, brush with milk and sprinkle loaves with sesame seeds if desired.

Preheat oven to 425F and bake 10-15 minutes. Watch closely.

Makes 10

NOTE: Regular loaves of bread may be made from the same recipe.

8-3/4 cups flour
½ cup shorteninq, melted
1 heaping tbsp. salt
1 heaping tbsp. sugar
1 yeast cake
¼ cup warm water

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Melt shortening and combine the two mixtures. Add all other ingredients to flour, adding enough warm water to make a soft dough. Knead well. Let dough rise 2-3 hours until it doubles in size.

Shape into four round cake pans or individual buns, four buns to a pan (four pans) and brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Let rise again for one hour and bake in moderate preheated oven 350F for 20 minutes.

Makes 4 round breads or 16 buns

Dough:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. veg. oil
½ cup warm water
1 dry yeast

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Combine all ingredients and make 12 balls of dough. Put aside for half hour. Then roll out into 7" circles.

Arrange circles of dough on cookie sheet. Break up Armenian cheese and cover top of dough. Crimp edges of dough to form rim. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake in preheated 425F oven until crust is golden brown.

Makes 12 breads

7 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 - 2 tsp. salt
1 yeast cake
½ cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salad oil

Dissolve yeast in warm water and add 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes. Put warm water in a large pan. Add yeast and salt. Add flour gradually, mixing by spoon or hand until all flour is used. Knead it very well. Add oil and knead until dough is silky, but stiff. You need to add more flour occasionally. Cover and let rise until double in size. Make 12 balls of dough. Place them on a cloth 2" apart. Let rise about 1 hour, covered. Then roll out evenly about 8" in diameter. Arrange on cloth and cover with another cloth. Wait one hour. Turn your broiler on high heat for 5 minutes Warm your aluminum tray without removing the tray out of the oven. Pull the rack out partially and place rolled out dough, two at a time, about 5 - 6 inches from the heat. Broil two minutes until light brown. Leave oven door ajar.

Turn over and broil another 1 or 2 minutes. Remove and place in a covered roasting pan. Keep covered and repeat procedure as above. Cool bread by storing it warm and allowing steam to release of its own accord. If you don't do this, the bread will be hard.

When you place bread in oven to broil, put it face down.

Makes 12 rounds

NOTE: Good for low salt diets; recommended for people with cholesterol problem.

Dough: 8 3/4 cups flour
5 eggs
½ cup butter
½ cup shortening
1 cup milk
½ tsp. salt
6 tbsp. veg. oil

Filling:
2 lbs. Mozzarella cheese, grated
2 eggs
¼ cup minced parsley
Salt, pepper to taste

Mix filling ingredients together. Set aside. Melt butter and shortening together. Mix all dough ingredients except vegetable oil. Knead. Add vegetable oil and knead again. Let rest 3 hours, covered. Divide into 10 balls, cover and let rest 10 minutes. Open each ball with fingers to size of dinner plate. Place filling over half of circle.

Bring end of dough over filling to form large turnover. Press edges to seal. Cover and let rise one hour. Brush tops with one beaten egg mixed with one tablespoon milk. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake on ungreased baking sheets in preheated 375F oven 40-45 minutes. This freezes well after baking.

Serves 45

Dough:
3 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 yeast cake
1 tsp. B.P.
4 tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup milk
4½ cups flour
1/3 cup lukewarm water

Filling:
1 lb. Muenster cheese and 1 lb. American cheese, cut up in small pieces
1/3 bunch parsley, minced
1 egg, beaten
Pinch of salt

Mix above filling together (not dough).

Melt together 3/4 lb. butter and 3/4 lb. shortening. Keep warm. Dissolve yeast in water in a cup. Pour into large bowl, add eggs, milk and olive oil. Add flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix thoroughly. Knead until smooth and pliable. Cover and let rise in warm place for 3 hours. Divide into 4 balls. Let rest covered, 1 hour.

Roll each ball as thin as possible on floured table. Brush with melted fat to cover completely. Fold dough over approximately 4-5 times to form long strip about 6" wide. Brush surface of this strip with melted butter mixture and fold strip over and over to form 6" square. Cover squares with tea towel and over this a piece of plastic. Roll each square to 14"x18" rectangle. Fit one sheet of dough on one buttered 10"x14"x2" baking pan. Place half of filling on top. Roll out another square 14"x18" and place on top of filling. Trim dough all around edge of pan, leaving ½" space between top of pan and edges of dough. Press all around edges to seal. Brush top with mixture of one beaten egg and 1 teaspoon milk.

Repeat procedure.

Bake in preheated 350F oven 30-40 minutes. cool and cut into squares. To serve, warm in 350F oven approximately 15 minutes.

Makes two 10xl4x2" pans of boerag.

NOTE: One may be baked and the other frozen, thawed and baked at a later date.

Variation: TAPSI MEAT BOERAG

Using the following ingredients, substitute meat filling instead of cheese and proceed with recipe:

3 lbs. ground lamb
4 tbsp. water
4 sm. onions, minced
salt to taste

Saute above and add following inqredients:
1 cup parsley, minced
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
blk. pepper to taste

Liquid: (makes 3 cups)
2 cups warm water
1 egg
¼ yeast cake
5 tbsp. veg. oil

Dry ingredients:
6 cups flour (1/8 cup for dusting on table)
½ tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. B.P.

Oil mixture: (melt together)
1 cup shortening
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup oil
Reserve 3 tbsp. of mixture

Cheese filling: (have ready, do not mix)
3/4 lb. Muenster, cut in ½" cubes
¼ lb. slightly sharp cheese, broken into small pieces
3 eggs, beaten
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt, pepper to taste

Dissolve yeast cake with water, add egg and oil. Mix liquid and dry ingredients together and knead well. Make 16 egg size balls, spread on floured table and cover. Let rest for half hour.

Roll 8 balls, one at a time (7" circle). Brush oil mixture over each circle. Stack circles on top of one another. Roll out to make 1 large rectangle the size of pan (17"x11½"). Oil pan with 1 tablespoon oil mixture. Place rolled out dough on bottom of pan and cover dough with Muenster cheese first, then sprinkle sharp cheese over this. Add parsley, eggs, salt and pepper over cheese. Roll out remaining 8 ball as above. Place this on top of cheese mixture in pan. Brush 3 tablespoons of oil mixture on top.

Bake in preheated 450F oven for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 425F and bake for 15 minutes longer.

Cut into desired serving pieces.

Dough:
4 cups flour
1½ cups water, lukewarm
1 yeast cake (plus ¼ cup lukewarm water)
1 tsp. salt

Filling:
½ lb. Mozzarella cheese, grated
½ lb. Muenster cheese, grated
2 eggs
½ cup parsley-minced
¼ tsp. blk. pepper
1/3 tsp. salt
½ stick margarine

Dissolve yeast in ¼ cup lukewarm water. Place flour in mixing bowl and add dissolved yeast, water and salt and knead well until dough is smooth. Cover and let rise for 2½ hours. Meanwhile, mix filling ingredients thoroughly. Divide dough into 6 balls. Cover and let rest ½ hour. Roll each ball into rectangle lO"x6". Place each rectangle on ungreased, lightly floured cookie sheet.

Place filling in center of each rectangle in a boat shaped mound 3" wide and 8" long. Bring long sides of dough up from each side to center of cheese filling, having edges of dough just meeting each other but not overlapping (the dough will separate during baking to expose cheese filling). Pinch ends of rectangle 2½" on each end to form boat-shaped pastries. Bake in 400F preheated oven - 25 minutes.

Serves 12-18

2 cups water, lukewarm
2 tsp. salt
1 yeast cake
5 cups flour
¼ cup shortening
¼ cup butter

Melt shortening and butter together. Combine water, salt, yeast cake, shortening and butter. Add flour and knead thoroughly until smooth. Divide into 10 balls and set aside for ½ hour. Roll each ball of dough into circle as thin as you can with 1" dowel type rolling pin.

Bake about 1" above the bottom heat of preheated 500F oven on an inverted preheated cookie sheet.

Makes 10 breads

1 pk. plain or Italian flavored biscuits
(prepared refrigerated)

Put two biscuits together. Using flour, roll out into circles as thin as possible. Preheat oven to 500F. Preheat cookie sheet on bottom rack and bake bread on hot cookie sheet 2-4 minutes.

Makes 4

1 cup shortening, melted
3 cups warm water
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1 yeast cake
12 cups flour

Warm water, add all ingredients, mix well and knead. Let rise for 2 hours. Make balls (size of an orange). Roll each ball with your hands until length of your greased tray. Do not put sticks too close to each other in tray.

Brush tops with evaporated milk. Slit sticks three quarters of the way down every 2". Bake in preheated 400F oven until brown, approximately 10 minutes. When bread sticks are cooled, cut slits clear through. Put on trays standing each piece on end. Put back into 225F oven until sticks are dry (2 to 3 hours)

Makes 100 pieces

1 cup melted shortening
1 cup evaporated milk
4 cups water
14 cups flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 heaping tbsp. salt
2 tsp. B.P.

Mix liquids. Add dry ingredients and knead well until thoroughly mixed. Divide into 30 balls and let rest half tour or longer, covered. Roll out each ball into 16" diameter rounds. Preheat cookie sheet on bottom rack of 500F preheated oven. Grease pan first time only. Bake rolled-out dough on one side until it starts to bubble, turn over and bake (about 1½ minutes) on other side. This may be cooked on a grill on top of stove. An inverted cookie sheet may be used as a grill. You must start with a high heat and then lower to maintain high temperature. If small size cookie sheet or grill is used, each ball must be made smaller and each round rolled out to a smaller diameter to fit grill.

After bread is baked, butter surface completely and generously, if serving immediately; otherwise leave unbuttered, place on a clean cloth for a day until dry. When ready to serve, dampen, place between towels for a few minutes and serve cold or warm.

Makes 30