Little Lazarus buns - Lazarakia
Easter Lazarakia are small raisin pastries that custom wants to be prepared on the day of Lazarus Saturday. They are shaped to take the form of a plastered man. On Lazarus Saturday, we celebrate the raising of Lazarus by Jesus Christ and it is the Saturday before Palm Sunday. Tradition wants every household to create as many lazarakia as there are children in the family. See below the monastic recipe from Mount Athos for easy, traditional lazarakia and try it.
We dissolve the yeast in a cup of warm water and add it to the mixture bowl.
We add raisins, anise (or mastic) and little by little flour. We knead well.
We have a smooth and pliable dough that does not stick in our hands.
We transfer the dough to a floured counter and knead vigorously again.
We divide the dough into equal pieces and shape the lazarakia, nailing two cloves for the eyes.
We transfer the lazarakia to an oiled pan and bake at 180 degrees for about 45 minutes until golden.
We are careful that our dough does not come out too soft, otherwise the lazarakia will lose their shape.
Source: The recipe is from the book "As sweet to my throat..." Monastic confectionery (and not only!).
