Paximadia - Lent bread rusks by Miltiadis Polyhronidis, Pastry Chef

by Miltiadis Polyhronidis

 cooking with 

My name is Miltiadis Polyhronidis. I was born in Melbourne to Greek migrants. Both mum and dad came to Australia in the early 1950s as young kids. Although they went to school here, and spoke fluent English, mum kept the Greek cooking traditions alive and followed in her mum’s footsteps. Food was a link that connected us and all the families together. We spent many Orthodox Easters with the ikogenia (family).  One of my childhood memories was eating the yummy nistisima paximathia (lent bread rusks). They were my favourite. A small biscuit full of flavour. Who knew back then that I’d become an accomplished Greek pastry chef with nearly 30 years experience and still make these yummy bite sized morsels today. I’m so proud to be a part of Grecian Purveyor's The Greek Easter Feast initiative amongst many other talented chefs, cooks, authors and food bloggers. I know some of them and I look forward to meeting the whole Greek Easter Feast team one day! 

Paximadia - Lent bread rusks 

Ingredients 

200 ml extra virgin olive oil - Vassilakis Estate My Olive Oil
200 ml fresh orange juice
200 gr sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 quarter tsp ground ginger
800 gr self raising flour
100 gr sesame seeds

Method

A. Combine high quality olive oil, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon and ginger in a mixing bowl and beat till sugar dissolves into liquid. 

B. Add the self raising flour and with a dough hook, mix till all the dough comes off the bowl.

C. Divide dough into 4 logs and roll on top of sesame seed till the log is fully covered 

D. Place logs on a baking tray lined with baking paper and with a knife, score the logs 1cm apart and then bake in a pre heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. Take out when cooked and allow to cool. 

E. Once cooled down, cut the paximathi logs where previously marked with the knife and place on their sides and rebake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes.

F. Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee or as is on their own.