Nostalgic Baking

It is Sunday, rest day but I can not rest. I got up very early as usual, knitted till 7am then I tried to watch some TV. I wanted to be useful and productive again but I found myself so limited. I was about to prepare my morning tea I don't know what it triggered but I remembered how much I used to love "Pogaca" with tea when I was young. It has been long time( years) that I haven't baked any. Thanks to technology and the web, a quick search on Google revealed many recipes. I choose not to use yeast due to fact that I am not the most patient person and wanted to prepare them before Stu wakes up and gets downstairs. So after countless trips to the pantry and the refrigerator, I managed to get everything I need and I prepared the dough. I used the traditional feta cheese + parsley filling. Unfortunately Stu was up early too so he witnessed the baking part. They were good but not the same taste I remembered from my childhood.

Here is the recipe for Pogaca:

Dough:

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1/2 c. vegetable oil or light olive oil

1/2 c. melted margarine

3 eggs reserve 1 yolk to brush the pastries later

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 c. + all purpose flour (this is the least amount).

Filling:

1/4 or 1/3 lb feta cheese

1/2 bunch parsley (snipped)

Mix all ingredients except flour well, slowly add flour, start kneading and adding flour until the dough is soft, pliable and springy to touch. It should not be sticky. In a separate bowl, crumble feat cheese and mix with parsley well. Press the pin pong ball size dough into flat round shape, could use dough cutters or any large round class. Put feta filling in the lower half of the round dough and fold in half, press the sides to seal and put them on an ungreased cookie sheet or tray. Use a pastry brush and the reserved egg yolk and brush top of the pastries. bake in 360F oven for about 18-20 minutes or the tops are golden brown. Best when served with tea :-) Bon Apetite!