Catholic Recipe: Vuccidrato -- Jesus Wreath
Also Called: St. Joseph's Bread -- Jesus Wreath; Pane de San Giuseppe
This recipe is from Preserving Our Italian Heritage. The bread for Jesus is a great wreath with an interior in the shape of a start, for He represents the light of truth. This makes a large quantity of bread; the 16 cups of bread flour is not a typographical error!
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, mix sugar, salt, eggs, water, yeast and oil. Then mix in the flour. Knead dough on a floured board until smooth. Let rise. Cut the dough in thirds. Shape each piece into a rope, then twist like a braid. Bring the ends together and tuck in both ends to form a ring. Make a shallow cut 1 1/2 inches apart around the outside of the ring. Place on a greased baking sheet. Let rise until double in bulk. Bake in a hot 400° oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.
Recipe Source: Recipes for a Holy Family by Holy Family Academy, Manassas, VA, Morris Press, 1999
