Traditional Recipe for Kollyva

Traditional Recipe for Kollyva

The preparation of kollyva is a profound religious and family tradition. Below is the authentic, balanced recipe featuring all the necessary ingredients and traditional stages of decoration for a memorial service or a Saint's feast day.

 Ingredients

½ kg wheat berries

1 cup all-purpose flour (for toasting)

2 tbsp walnuts, finely chopped/ground

1 tbsp almonds, blanched and finely chopped/ground

1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

½ tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

1½ tbsp pomegranate seeds

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp raisins

1 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp breadcrumbs

A pinch of cumin (on the tip of a spoon)

2-3 tbsp shredded coconut

Powdered sugar and cinnamon (for the topping/coating)

 Instructions

Boiling
Boil the wheat berries carefully, ensuring they soften but do not become mushy or burst.

Drying
As soon as it boils, strain the wheat and spread it out onto a clean towel so that it absorbs all the moisture and dries thoroughly.

Mixing
In a large basin, combine the dried wheat with all the remaining ingredients (except for the powdered sugar). Mix well. Make sure you have lightly toasted the sesame seeds in a pan beforehand.

Layering
Spread the mixture evenly onto a platter. Begin by shaping a cross with the kollyva directly onto the platter first, and then fill in the empty spaces. Press down firmly using parchment paper to flatten and smooth out the surface. Afterwards, sift as much of the toasted flour over the top as needed.

Coating
Cover the entire surface with a generous, thick layer of powdered sugar.

Decorating
For a Memorial Service (Mnemosyno) or Trisagion: Shape a cross on the surface using cinnamon, almonds, walnuts, or pomegranate seeds, and gold-coated dragées (koufeta).

For a Saint's Feast Day: Form the outline or icon of the Saint using cinnamon or natural food colorings.