• When dough is ready, place on floured board.  Divide dough in two. Cover one half and set aside.  

• Take the other half, roll it into a rectangular shape about ¼ inch thick.  Brush with beaten egg white.

 

 

• Spread half of filling on top, not quite to the edges.  Roll like jelly roll. Pinch edges to seal.

• Place on greased baking sheet.  Seam side down. Cover with moistened dish towel.  Repeat with remaining half of dough. Place both on same baking sheet.  Cover and let rise in *warm place until double in bulk (about 40 minutes).  

 

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brush with beaten egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp. water.  Tip:  Poke a fork in the side to allow steam to escape or cut slits on top.  Bake until browned about 35 minutes.   

    * Tip:  Need warm place to rise dough?  Warm oven to lowest setting, then turn oven off.  Cover dough with a moistened dish towel, then place in oven to rise.  Leave oven door slightly ajar.  Too much heat will kill yeast.

  

Filling:  Traditional Recipe
Combine ½ lb. **ground poppy seeds (if desired, also add ground walnuts and/or chopped raisins), 1 tbsp. lemon rind (chopped fine), 1 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. orange juice, ½ cup honey or sugar and 1 beaten egg white.  Mix ingredients to make a smooth paste. Note:  Canned poppy seed filling like the above recipe can be purchased at some specialty stores.

To **Grind Poppy Seeds:
Cover seeds with boiling water.  Stir. Let rest 15 minutes. Drain.  Repeat two more times. Drain. Place small amount in mortar and crush with pestle or use coffee grinder (or blender, however, it doesn’t produce good results).  Repeat. Seeds should have milky appearance. Ground poppy seeds can also be purchased in specialty stores.  I still freshen them up by following the above.