Easter Paska
- 1/2 cups lukewarm water
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 pkg. yeast
- 81/2 – 9 cups white flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- 3 cups lukewarm water
- 5 beaten eggs
- 1/4 butter (melted)
Dissolve the sugar in the 1/2 cup of lukewarm water and sprinkle the yeast over it. Let stand for 10 minutes. Combine the softened yeast with the beaten eggs, sugar, butter, salt and the water. Mix in the flour and knead until smooth and elastic. The dough should be just a little stiffer than for regular bread. Cover, let rise in your oven or other warm place until double in bulk. This is usually about 45 minutes. Punch down and let rise again.
Make a round one inch thick base of dough and cover the bottom of a round greased pan. I use Pam and I also place a round of parchment paper on the bottom. Take 2 equal pieces of dough, roll each out to approximately 36 inches. Place side by side. Starting from the centre, entwine each length about the other. Do the other half in the same manner. Place the entwined length on the base in a circle along the edge.
Roll out 4 equal pieces of dough each to a 12 inch length. Entwine the 2 lengths. Pace these on the base to cross each other at the centre. Curl each end around to lie on the base. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Watch this because you do not want to let it rise too much. It will lose its shape.
When risen, gently brush on beaten egg and bake in a preheated 400F. oven for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350F. and continue baking for another 40 minutes or until done.
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