SANTA LUCIA BUNS

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 Cups Flour
• 2 Cups Milk
• 1 1/2 Stacks Butter (melted and cooled)
• 3/4 Cups Sugar
• 3 pkg Dry Yeast
• 1/2 Tbs. Water
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/8 tsp. Saffron or Turmeric (finely ground)
• 1 Can cooking spray (use as required)

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DIRECTIONS:To make the dough. Warm the milk and disolve the yeast in 1 cup 
of milk, then add the rest of the milk along with the sugar. Dissolve the
saffron in water and add long with the salt and melted butter. Stir 3 cups
of flour into the mixture.
Gradually add the other 3 cups of flour until the dough is slightly firm and
smooth. Knead for 10 minutes on a floured surface. Place the dough in a large
bowl greased with cooking spray. Also spray the dough as well. Cover the bowl
with a damp towel and allow to rise for 45 minutes. Punch down the dough and
knead lightly for a minute.
To make the buns, shape pieces of dough into buns about 2 to 3 inches in diameter.
Brush the top of each bun with egg. Place them on a cookie sheet sprayed with
cooking spray. Allow to rise about 30 minutes. Place in oven at 400 degrees for
10 to 15 minutes. This recipe should make about 40 buns.

COMMENTS:Decmeber 13th is Saint Lucy's name day and was very important in the
Perniciaro Family as my Great-Grandmothe's name was Lucia (Lucia Frusco), who was
married to Andrea Perniciaro. Many family members would gather at the old 
Bay 19th Street house in Brooklyn to celebrate in honor of my Great-Grandmother.
Family members from Brooklyn and Staten Island made the trip to join the festivities.

Submitted by Thomas Briggs