“Home baked bread always had a special place in my mother’s house. With every baking, my dad would repeat in his Old World Ladino, Los panizikos di kaza ki no manki (Home made bread should never be lacking). Not surprising, each time I whiff the aroma of my wife’s bread baking in our oven, I repeat the same line. The recipe for rolls and roscas is the same and has been handed down through many generations. Nothing compares with that aroma. One taste and I am convinced, Heaven Can Wait

We tend towards the individual rolls, each one enough to satisfy you without adding extra pounds. The instructions below are for rolls. As my mother-in-law would tell us, “With five pounds of flour, you can fill the house.” Kaye’s panizikos di kaza reminds me of that every day”.

~Post by Jack Israel (my Dad!!!)

Ingredients for “Panizikos”

( homemade baked bread rolls)

8 – 10 C flour                                    ½ C oil

3 eggs                                                2 pkgs yeast

1 ½ C sugar                                    2 ½ C warm water

Directions for making Kaye Hasson Israel’s “Panizikos”

Dissolve yeast in 1 C warm water.  Add 1 tsp sugar to proof.

 

 

Allow to sit for approx 20 minutes.  Yeast mixture will begin to foam.

We use an electric mixer with a dough hook to prepare our dough.

Sift and prepare flour.

Place wet ingredients (except for yeast mixture) in mixing bowl

(eggs, oil, sugar and balance of warm water).  Add 3 C of sifted flour and begin to mix on low speed. Add yeast mixture. Add additional flour 1 C at a time.  We are looking for an elastic, smooth dough, made with as little flour as necessary.

When dough begins coming away from the sides of the bowl, turn it on to your work surface.  Work in additional flour until dough is no longer sticking to your fingers.  Knead into s smooth ball.

Place dough in a bowl.  Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, sprayed with cooking spray so it will not stick to the dough. Tuck plastic wrap nice and snug around dough.  Cover with a kitchen towel. Place dough in a draft-free environment as it rises. (a cool oven or microwave works well).  Allow dough to rise for approximately 1 hour. Dough should double in bulk.

Return dough to your work surface. Using a knife, cut pieces of dough about the size of an egg.  Roll dough out making a rope about 8 – 10” long.  “Tie” dough in a knot.

 

Paint rolls with an eggwash ( beaten egg with a few drops of water). Dip each roll in a plate of sesame seeds.

 

Place on a baking sheet (covered with parchment paper).  Place rolls approximately 3 across, 4 – 5 down.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes. We begin by placing baking pans on bottom rack until bottom of rolls begin to turn a golden brown, then move to upper rack.  Rolls are done when tops turn a golden brown.

Fresh out of the oven, homemade “panizikos” are divine! They can be easily frozen  (put 6 or 8 in a freezer bag). Remover from freezer and thaw to room temperature or microwave for 12 seconds for each roll. They toast beautifully and are a treat for breakfast, topped with homemade jam. They are often served with a plate of fresh feta or ricotta cheeses drizzled with olive oil, a few “zetunas” ( Greek olives),  and fresh fruit.  For an evening meal, a “paniziko” complements a meal of keftes or fried fish with agrestada ( lemon sauce)….perfect for “ountaring” (mopping or scooping up sauce)!

Enjoy!  “Bendichas manos”!!!