Growing up we always went to my Dad's parents house for Christmas eve. There we did things a little bit differently as my Grandma is part Polish and we celebrated with the traditional polish Christmas eve dinner or "Wigilia" as the Polish people call it. I have fond memories of gathering around the table and getting my pretty wafer with pictures stamped on it of the manger, or as Grandma calls it the "oplatek", and braking off pieces from everyone else's and wishing them a merry Christmas. We had white and pink oplatek, I always wanted to be the one who got a pink and now I just found out that the pink was to be given to the animals, guess we never did that part. Grandma lights the candles, and then Grandpa prays and their is an empty table setting for baby Jesus or a wanderer that should stop by. We enjoy a meatless meal, as traditionally they fasted from meat till Christmas. Dinner was started with a mushroom soup, but Grandma makes split pea as well because some family members will not eat the traditional mushroom ;) we also have home-made sauerkraut peroghi and potato perogi. We usually had lots of different cookies for dessert and then before we all go everyone gets to take home a nut roll to have for breakfast on Christmas day. My mom and I have made the nut roll for a few years now to help out my Grandma with some of the preparations. They can be a little bit tricky to handle but it is something we look forward to. I make mine with Spelt flour so I can enjoy it too. The others we made with regular un-bleached flour so what ever you have on hand feel free to use.
Grandma Sophie's Recipe Nutroll
Ingredients
- 1 1/4- 1 3/4 Cup spelt flour
- 1/4 Cup milk
- 1 Tbs yeast
- 1 Egg (plus an egg white before baking)
- 1/4 Cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp orange rind
- 2 Tbs butter
- Dash of salt
Scald milk and add butter.
When it melts add the salt, sugar. wait till mix is just warm.
Dissolve yeast in butter mixture.
Beat eggs until thick and lemon colored, add to the mix, then add sugar, orange rind, salt, and flour.
Knead well, if too sticky add more flour.
Let rise till double in size, about 4 hours, we keep our house on the cooler side :)
Punch down dough and roll out to a rectangle, and spread nut filling leaving a space all around the edge.
Roll the roll fro one side to the other and pinch the edges together folding the ends in.
Let rise again fro another 2 hours.
Prick with a fork and whip an egg white and give the roll a egg wash before putting the oven.
Bake 350 degrees for 35 min.
Nut Roll Filling
1/2 lbs Walnuts
1/8-1/4 Cup honey
2 Tbs Butter melted
2 Tbs Milk
1/4 tsp Vanilla
Grind walnuts in the food processor till mealy. Scald milk add butter, vanilla, honey, and nuts and mix.
May you and your family enjoy the special traditions passed down, as we remember our Lord this season.
The Farmer in the Dell
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