Sweet Lankaran pastries | Lankaran kulchasi

The name kulcha (külçə) probably shares a root with the bread known as kulcha, popular in India and Pakistan. Two different types of kulcha are found in Azerbaijan: round kulcha with a filling, which come from the southern town of Lankaran (Lənkəran), the recipe for which is given here, and the spicier kulcha from the northwestern town of Shaki (Şəki).

Preparation time: 30 min
Cooking time: 50 min
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

• For the pastry:
• 450 g/1 lb 2 oz plain flour
• 10 g/ 1/3 oz fresh yeast
• 75 g/3 oz sugar
• 1 egg
• 25 g/1 oz sour cream
• poppy-seeds
• 50 g/2 oz butter
• salt
• For the filling:
• 200 g/8 oz plain flour
• 100 g/4 oz granulated sugar
• 100 g/4 oz butter
• a few threads of saffron

Preparation

• Take the butter out of the fridge to allow it time to reach room temperature.
• Put the threads of saffron into a cup and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of boiling water. Cover and leave to infuse.
• Sieve the flour onto a large board or into a large bowl and make a hole in the centre. Put the yeast, egg, soft butter, sugar and salt into the hole and gradually fold in the flour from the outside.
• Knead well until the dough is smooth and soft.
• Cover with a clean teacloth and leave in a warm place to rise for 60 to 90 minutes.
• For the filling, cream the sugar and butter. Add the saffron infusion and the flour and mix well. The filling should be crumbly.
• When the dough has risen, knead it again and roll it out several times.
• Divide the dough into balls of around 75 g/3 oz. On a floured surface roll out each ball into a rectangle, 1 cm/0.4 inch thick.
• Put a spoonful of stuffing in the centre of each rectangle. Fold the corners to the centre and then fold in the edges, shaping the kulcha into a round.
• Leave to rest for 40 minutes.
• Coat the surface of the kulcha with beaten egg and sprinkle poppy seeds on top.
• Bake in an oven preheated to 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 20-25 minutes.