There are numerous customs for this important day of Orthodox believers – one specially known to every home is the preparation of Christmas bread – cesnica. The old belief is that this bread brings a fruitful year, happines and prosperity to the people, and we share traditional recipe with you, just as our old ones were preparing it.
Cesnica is round bread made on Christmas Eve or Christmas early in the morning. Why some people made it on Christmas Eve or Christmas depends of different parts of country and just in this diversities is reflected rich national tradition and heritage. It is only important that the purpose is the same and that it is knead in honouring of Christ. In this bread women always put a coin, and it is believed that the one who finds it during the breaking the bread, that year awaits prosperity and great progress. It is also custom to put any grain of corn or wheat. Cesnica breaks for Christmas lunch, as the housefother breaks as many pieces as there are members.
Required ingredients for cesnica:
– 1/2 kg of wheat
– 1/2 yeast melted in tepid water
– 1 spoon of oil
– half spoon of salt
– little of saint water which should be criss-cross poured in dough
All the ingredients are well knead with tepid water while we don’t get smoothly dough. Then, the coin which we specially separated, put in the middle of dough, knead dough again and let it to grow. When it’s ready, we put oil in plough, make a cross on the top of the dough and place it in the oven to bake on 200°C for 40 minutes.
KoVoli believes that the family is a source of peace and well-being and that it is no longer that opulence is not on the table, but around the table. What connects everyone is tradition and heritage which are transmitted from genaration to generation. Therefore, we want you to spend this holiday with your dear ones who share joy!
Merry Christmas dear people!
