The Christmas Eve feast in Bulgaria should be plentiful and the dishes - vegetarian and odd in number. Traditionally, the Christmas fare provided at table includes also garlic, walnuts, honey, onion, summer fruit kept fresh, wine, brandy - everything that has been produced during the past year - fresh or processed.

The round loaf is a must at Christmas Eve. You may put a silver coin in it. Whoever gets it, will have a lot of luck during the next year. Following is the recipe for the round loaf.

Ingredients: 1 kg flour, 10 g yeast, 1 egg, 1 tea cupful of fresh milk, 1 teaspoonful of sugar, 1 spoonful of vegetable oil, salt to taste

How to cook: Dissolve the yeast in a small amount of tepid water and let it rise. Mix the flour, the milk, the egg whites, the vegetable oil, the sugar and the salt and then add the yeast. Shape a ball of the soft dough thus produced. Wrap it in a cloth and soak it in a large vessel full of water.

Take it out when it comes to float. Spread it in a baking dish buttered beforehand. Punch the loaf with a fork several times and spread the egg yolk on top.

Bake it on a medium oven. After taking the bread out, cover it with a moist cloth in order to prevent its crust from getting too hard. Enjoy!

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