Koulourakia anevata (Cretan cookies)

Ingredients

• 1 pound Barley flour
• 1 pound All Purpose Flour
• 1 1/4 cups Greek Olive Oil
• 1 cup Oat flakes
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup Orange Juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1/3 cup "tsipouro" Greek moonshine
• 1 Envelope active dry yeast
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Powdered cloves
• 1/2 Powdered mastic
• 1 1/2 cup Water (lukewarm)
• Greek Olive Oil for brushing

Directions

We put in a bowl the yeast, water and stir to dissolve. Add 2 cups all purpose flour and stir to combine into a batter. We cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave the batter in a warm spot, for about 20 minutes, until it doubles in size.

Then, put in another bowl the olive oil, orange juice, “tsipouro”, sugar, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, mastic and stir well, until the sugar has dissolved. Add to the bowl the previously prepared batter and mix to combine. Then we gradually add the barley flour and remaining all purpose flour and knead to combine into a soft dough. We may add accordingly some more all purpose flour or water to reach the desired outcome.

We cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven at 350o F.

Put the oat flakes into a dinner dish.

We take pieces of the dough and shape them into cookies. You can shape them, according to preference. Dip the cookies into the oat flakes, to evenly coat and place them onto a greased cookie sheet. Cover them with a kitchen towel and let them stand, in a warm spot, for about 10 minutes, until they rise.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. If you bake two cookie sheets at a time, make sure to alternate the cookie sheets half way through the cooking time.

Remove the Cretan cookies from the oven, allow them to cool thoroughly and serve.