Note: This contribution was emailed to me on 2 December 2000. I have not tested it, but I believe it probably will produce very fine prosphora. Thank you, Ilya!
My name is Ilya Galadza, I am 17 and the son of an Archpriest. Recently, I have been baking prosphora for my father. I have tried some of the recipes you have but none of them worked out. So I have decided to share with you my father's recipe which always works out great. I hope this recipe can come in handy to those that need it. In Christ, Ilya.
You will need:
- Glass (Pyrex) measuring cup
- Large cutting board
- 9 cups of flour
- 2 1/4 cups warm water
- 2tsp. yeast.
- Large mixing bowl
- Roller
- Large, deep stamp.
- Small stamp
- Various size cutters
- First, fill a glass measuring cup with 1 cup of warm water.
- Sprinkle 2tsp. of yeast over it and let it sit.
- When the yeast begins to bubble up violently it is ready (about 10-15min.).
- Fill a mixing bowl with 9 cups of unbleached flour and slowly begin to ad the yeast and water while mixing the flour.
- Add another 1-1/4 cup of warm water while mixing.
- Mix the dough until it has a solid consistency and a nice ball-like shape.
- Let the dough rise for about an hour.
- After you have let the dough rise, knead it on a large, floured cutting board and cut it half.
- Roll out the first half until it is about 1/2" thick all around.
- Cut 5 large circles and place them on a floured baking sheet.
- Spread some more flour on the cutting board. Roll the remaining dough a little bit thinner (about 6/8" thick).
- Stamp the dough in 5 places with a good, deep seal and cut them out (a little bit smaller than the other circles).
- Coat the top of the larger circles with warm water and center the tops on them.
- Pierce the tops in a cross-like manner and bake at 350 for about 35 minutes, or until the bottom is golden-brown.
- With the other half of the dough, divide it in half.
- Roll one half out to about 1/4" and cut about 20 small circles (or as many as you can get) and place them on a floured baking sheet.
- Roll the other half slightly thinner and with a small stamp, stamp it 20 times.
- Cut them out and place them on the other circles as written above.
- Bake for about 20 minutes at 350.