Armenian woman breaking Gata for her family. Copyright ©2023 Goltune News. All rights reserved.
It is Christmas time again! It is a time to be happy and jolly and to be grateful for the people we have in our lives. It is also the time to pay respect to the traditions we cherish. One of the cherished and beloved traditions belongs to the Armenian community, the largest Christian population in Iran and the Middle East. During this time of the year, Armenians bake Gata, traditional sweet bread.
You can make Gata in any form or shape. The most popular dough consists of three basic ingredients: flour, eggs and milk. The filling of Gata bread can include variety of spices including cacao powder and nuts.
Oftentimes, the baker places a coin somewhere in the bread for a lucky finder. Whoever finds the coin is considered a lucky winner who is going to enjoy a prosperous year.
May your holiday season be filled with sweetness and warmth just like the sweet scent of freshly baked Gatas served with hot drinks!
Here is the step by step of making Gata. Enjoy!
Prep time: 30 min. + 1 hr rest time
Bake time: 1 hr. 30 min.
Ready in: 30 min.
Level: Intermediate
Yields: 6-8
Ingredients
250 grams butter (about 2 sticks and 1 ¾ tablespoon), room temperature
¼ teaspoon baking powder
5 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon active dry yeast
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs, room temperature
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon Saffron (optional)
1 egg yolk
Filling:
1 ½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup flour, sautéed
½ cup sugar
Directions:
1- Start off by preparing the filling first. In a non-stick skillet, sauté ¾ cup flour without oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. This is to take away the raw smell of flour. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool for few minutes.
2- Add sugar to the cooled flour. Then mix in the softened butter. The mixture will resemble crumbled dough. Place in the fridge to chill.
3- Next, in a large mixing bowl, put together eggs, butter, milk, active dry yeast, baking powder, salt. Mix well until butter melts into the mixture.
4- Gradually add the sifted flour as needed. Knead until it forms soft dough. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour. Dust a work surface with flour and knead the dough for 5 minutes. Then place the dough in a large bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.
5- Divide the Gata dough into small pieces. Gently flatten with the rolling pin. Place a small amount of the filling dough in the middle and close around the filling. Once again, gently flatten with the rolling pin.
There are two ways of making Gatas: form them into mini round loaves (shown above), or as in pastry dough, fold them into three layers; start by making a somewhat rectangle shape. Place the filling close to one end. Fold half way. Add another layer of filling and fold completely. Gently flatten with the rolling pin.
6- Preheat the oven to 395 degrees F.
7- Arrange the Gatas on a baking tray and let them rest for another 30 minutes.
8- Brush the Gatas with egg yolk and saffron mixture. Draw shallow lines on top of the Gatas with a toothpick or fork. This is the signature look of Gatas! Bake in the oven at 395 for 30 minutes or until golden.
9- When the top has turned golden brown the Gatas are done. Remove from the oven and let them cool before serving. They are also very delicious served right out of the oven. However, beware since the inside will be too hot. Serve them with a hot cup of coffee or your hot drink of choice. Noosh-e jān!
Please Pledge to Our Peace Journalism.
Goltune is editorially independent. We set our agenda. No one edits our editors. No one steers our opinion. This is important as it enables us to stay true to our values.
Every contribution we receive from readers like you, big or small, goes directly into funding our journalism. Please support Goltune, large or small.
Send your contributions to our PayPal account: [email protected]
Or, Click the link to pledge your support.
Thank you,
Goltune Editorial Team