(Greek Easter Bread)

Recipe origin: Greece

Ingredients

• 2 loaves (1-pound each) of frozen white-bread dough
• 4 uncooked eggs in shell, tinted red with fast-color Easter egg dye
• Egg glaze (1 egg, beaten and mixed with 1 Tablespoon water)

Procedure

1. Thaw the bread dough according to directions on package, but do not allow to rise.
2. Put thawed loaves on floured work surface.
3. With clean hands, stretch each loaf into a rope about 2 feet long.
4. Hold both dough ropes together at one end and twist them around each other into one thick rope.
5. On greased or nonstick baking sheet, make a circle out of the coiled rope of dough.
6. Brush both ends lightly with water, pinch them together, and tuck them under the coil.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F.
8. Space eggs evenly between coils of dough, tucking them in deep (but still visible) so they will not be pushed out when the dough rises.
9. Cover with the towel and set in a warm place until bread doubles in size (about 1 hour).
10. Brush bread with egg glaze. Bake in oven for about 1 hour, or until golden brown.
11. Remove bread from oven and place on wire rack to cool.
12. To eat, slice or break of chunks of bread.
13. Eggs can be peeled and eaten.