World Flavors Cookbook

Kolyva

Boiled wheat with raisins, nuts, pomegranate, and herbs — the ancient Greek memorial food offered in church for the souls of the departed.

Cuisine: Greece

Ingredients

• 500g whole wheat berries
• 100g raisins
• 100g walnuts, chopped
• 50g pine nuts
• 50g pomegranate seeds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 50g icing sugar
• Flat parsley leaves
• Blanched almonds and sugar dragées to decorate

Instructions

1. Boil wheat in salted water until soft (about 1 hour). Drain well.
2. Spread on a tray and dry thoroughly.
3. Mix wheat with raisins, nuts, cinnamon, and half the sugar.
4. Mound on a large tray.
5. Smooth the surface with a spoon.
6. Decorate with icing sugar to completely cover, then arrange parsley, nuts, and almonds in traditional cross pattern.