Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F

Step 2

Stir in the dried yeast and sugar in a small bowl and pour in ½ cup warm water. Dissolve the yeast in water, mixing with your fingers. Set aside for the yeast mixture to get frothy for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.

Step 4

Make a well in the middle and pour in 2 tbsp. olive oil and the yeast mixture.

Step 5

Pour in the remaining ½ warm water to the flour mixture. Using your hands, draw in the flour from the sides and work the mixture into a dough.

Step 6

Knead for 3 -5 minutes, until you reach a soft, smooth dough. The dough gets sticky as you knead, so pour the remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil and stir in additional 2 tbsp. flour to help shape into a soft dough.

Step 7

Place the dough in large bowl and cover with a cling film. Leave it in a warm place for 1 hour; it will be doubled in size.

Step 8

In the meantime, prepare your filling. Heat 15ml/1tbsp. olive oil in a wide heavy pan and stir in the onions and peppers.

Step 9

Sauté the onions and peppers for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, until they start to soften. Stir in the tomatoes and sauté for another 2 minutes. Pour in the lemon juice and season with salt and ground black pepper. Turn the heat off.

Step 10

Place the ground meat in a bowl and combine the cooked vegetables with the ground meat, mix well. The topping is ready.

Step 11

Once the dough is risen, place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for a minute then divide the dough into two pieces and roll into two balls.

Step 12

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough balls into 2 oval shapes of 20 cm x 40 cm (about 8”x16”), with ½ cm (0.2”) thickness.

Step 13

Line a large baking tray with baking paper and place the 2 oval flat bread dough on the tray.

Step 14

Spread the filling evenly over the 2 flat breads, leaving 2 cm at the edges as a border with no filling (it is easier to spread the filling while the oval flat bread is in the tray).

Step 15

Fold in the sides to act as border to keep the filling intact. Squeeze the oval dough at each end to make it pointy.

Step 16

Beat an egg in a small bowl and mix it with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Brush the edges of dough with this mixture.

Step 17

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the pides are golden brown and crispy at the edges.

Step 18

Once cool, cut into slices and serve.

Step 19

Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a wide, heavy pan and stir in the chopped onions. Sauté over medium heat for 3-4 minutes to soften them up.

Step 20

Stir in the ground meat to the onion mixture and sauté for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Step 21

Beat 1 egg and 1 egg white (save the remaining 1 egg yolk in a small bowl for later) and mix with 1 cup of milk and ½ cup of water.

Step 22

Grease a baking tray with 1 tbsp. olive oil and spread 1 sheet of yufka (with excess of yufka hanging out of tray) or 2 sheets of filo pastry on top of one another.

Step 23

Spread 3 tbsp. of milk, water & egg mixture evenly over the pastry.

Step 24

Lay the next sheet of yufka or 2 more sheets of filo pastry. Again, Spread 3 tbsp. of milk, water & egg mixture evenly over the pastry.

Step 25

If using filo pastry, lay two more sheets. Again, Spread 3 tbsp. of milk, water & egg mixture evenly over the pastry.

Step 26

Spread the ground meat and onion mixture evenly over the pastry.

Step 27

Lay the last layer of yufka sheet over the filling and tuck in and fold the excess sides of yufka sheet over the filling as a layer.

Step 28

If using filo pastry sheets, spread the ground meat and onion filling over the 6th sheet, after spreading the egg, milk and water mixture.

Step 29

Place 2 more sheets of filo pastry over the filling and continue to spread 3 tbsp. of milk, water & egg mixture evenly over the pastry. Lay the 10th filo sheet spread 3 tbsp. of milk, water & egg mixture evenly over the pastry. Then lay the last two sheets of filo pastry.

Step 30

Mix 2 tbsp. milk with the remaining egg yolk and remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil (if you have any milk & egg and water mixture left, you can add this mixture too). Spread this mixture over the last sheet of yufka or filo pastry.

Step 31

Bake in the pre-heated oven (180C/350F) for 20- 25 minutes, until the top of the pastry turns to golden to light brown.

Step 32

Once cooked, cover with a baking paper to keep moist and cool for 10 minutes. Slice in squares and serve warm.

Step 33

Take the eggs out of the fridge about 1,5 hours ahead of time and bring to room temperature.

Step 34

If you are using whole mahlepi seeds, ground them at food processor with mastic.

Step 35

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients; flour, sugar, yeast, salt, ground mahlepi and mastic. Mix well with a spoon.

Step 36

Stir in the beaten eggs, egg yolks, melted butter and warm milk to the bowl. Using your hands (or an electric mixer) bring it to a soft dough.

Step 37

On a lightly floured surface, knead for 3 -5 minutes, until you get a smooth dough.

Step 38

Put the dough into a greased large bowl, cover with cling film and wrap with a kitchen towel. Place the bowl at a warm part of the kitchen. Let the dough rise and double its size; this takes about 2,5 hours, depending on the room temperature.

Step 39

Once risen, punch the dough and divide into six equal balls. Roll each ball into 30 cm (12”) long 6 strips.

Step 40

Place 3 dough strips next to each other side by side. Pinch, seal the top end of the 3 strips so they stay intact. Braid and seal the other end of the strips; you made your first loaf. Repeat the same procedure with the rest of the 3 dough strips to make your 2nd loaf.

Step 41

Cover the baking tray with parchment paper and place the two braided loaves on it; make sure to leave 3 -4" between the loaves. Cover the loaves loosely with a damp towel. Place the tray at a warm place to rise for another hour.

Step 42

Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F

Step 43

Beat 1 egg yolk lightly in a small bowl and stir in 2 tsp. whole milk, mix well.

Step 44

Once the loaves risen, brush them with the egg yolk and milk mixture. Generously sprinkle the flaked almonds over the loaves and gently press so that the almonds stick to the loaf.

Step 45

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 – 25 minutes. Please check as of 15 minutes, as the loaves go dark rather quickly. In that case, loosely place an oven proof baking paper over to prevent further browning. As of 20 minutes, take the loaves out of the oven and insert a toothpick in the middle to see if it’s cooked. If the toothpick comes clean, that means the loaf is cooked. If not, bake for further 5 minutes or so.

Step 46

Once cooked, remove from the oven and let the Easter bread, Paskalya Coregi, rest on a wire rack. It will smell heavenly.

Step 47

Slice the loaf once cooled down; Paskalya coregi is delicious with a little butter and jam or honey over the slice.