Kolyva (wheat berries memorial food) from Thessaloniki

Source : Rinse The Wheat Berries Put Water In A Pot So That The Wheat Berries Are Adequately Covered And Soak For 2-3 Hours And Then As It Is Boil For 2-3 H...

PreTime
more Minutes
CookTime
a few Minutes
Yield
Some Servings

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at : September 24, 2026

Step:

  1. Rinse the wheat berries. 

  2. Put water in a pot, so that the wheat berries are adequately covered and soak for 2-3 hours and then, as it is, boil for 2-3 hours until they split, follow by turning off the heat and leaving them for an hour (make sure that there is enough water in the pot).

  3. Strain them, rinse with cold water and lay them out to dry on a towel for 3-4 hours, turning them from time to time. 

  4. Mix the nuts, raisins, spices and 5-6 tbsp of the toasted flour with the wheat berries. In case the wheat is a bit  moist after mixing it, you can add a small quantity of breadcrumbs. 

  5. Put everything in a plate (or the platter you want to use) press very well using your hands and dust the top with the rest of the flour so that it covers the whole surface well. 

  6. Using a piece of plastic wrap flatten the flour and dust with the icing sugar. 

  7. Using a piece of plastic wrap once more, flatten the icing sugar and make a cross using the Jordan almonds and decorate with the silver dragees all around.

  8. Put the flour in a small baking tray and grill it for about 1 minute or until it gets golden brown, stirring meanwhile. 


Ingredients

  1. 250 g peeled wheat berries
  2. 150 g roasted almonds, unsalted, coarsely cut 
  3. 150 g coarsely cut walnuts 
  4. 60 g white raisins 
  5. 250-300 g icing sugar 
  6. about 1.5 cup toasted all purposed flour 
  7. 1 tsp cumin
  8. 1 tsp cinnamon
  9. White Jordan almonds and silver dragees

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