The Colac is a Romanian and Moldovan bread, particularly known for its preparation during religious holidays, having a deep symbolic meaning and considered an essential element of festive and ceremonial tables.
Christmas: it is placed at the center of the table as a symbol of abundance and prosperity.
Easter: it is used to bless food during the celebration.
Weddings: it is placed on the table as a symbol of the union of the spouses.
Funerals: it is placed on the grave of the deceased as a symbol of mourning and remembrance.
The name Colac (plural colaci) derives from the ancient Slavic word kolo (коло) which means “circle” or “wheel”.
It is believed that Colac originated from pre-Christian pagan traditions, where round bread was the symbol of the sun and fertility.
With the arrival of Christianity, the colac acquired a new religious significance.
Some experts hypothesize that the braided bread may have originated in the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia, where decorative breads with intricate shapes were prepared.
In Ancient Egypt, braided breads have been found in Egyptian tombs dating back to 2000 BC.
Others point out that the tradition may date back to ancient Greece where bread was prepared for special occasions and religious ceremonies, like the “koulourakia“.
The braid can have different shapes and patterns, often carrying a symbolic meaning.
The most common symbols are:
Three braids: for the Holy Trinity.
Seven braids: for the seven days of creation.
Nine braids: representing the nine months of pregnancy.
This version of mine is enriched with spirulina.
The word can be akin to challah (Hebrew: חלה, romanized: ḥallah) and Greek κολλιξ.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours 45 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Romanian
- Seasonality: Christmas, Easter
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons Spirulina
- 0.25 oz dry yeast
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 egg
- as needed milk
Steps
Combine the ingredients (except egg and milk) gradually adding water; knead the dough and let it rise, covered for 2 hours.
Divide the dough into 6 parts.
Roll out into strands of 22 inches 5 parts and braid them together.
From the last part derive another 3 pieces rolled into strands of 26 inches to braid together.
On a baking sheet, join the large braid creating a circle and use the other, longer but smaller braid, to surround the circle.
Let rise, covered, for 45 minutes.
Brush with 1 egg and a little milk.
Cover with foil and bake in a static oven at 392°F for 35 minutes.
Uncover and bake for another 5 minutes in grill mode.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is Colac called in other Slavic countries?
The name varies slightly among countries, but its general meaning originally comes from the ancient Slavic radical vocabulary referring to the circular shape of the bread.
The variants of “colac” (Bulgarian, Macedonian, and Ukrainian: колач, Polish and Silesian: kołocz, Serbian: колач / kolač, Slovenian: kolač) are the most commonly used forms, but “kalach” (Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian: калач, Hungarian: kalács, Polish and Silesian: kołacz) is also widespread.
The Albanian: kulaç is akin to all these.
But be careful!
The names Czech: koláč and Slovak: koláč, (recipe on the blog) although having the same origin as “kolach”, refer to another sweet, the kolach cake with a different shape than the bread.
In Poland and Serbia kołacz and kolač are also respectively used as names for different types of cakes.
