Greek cuisine and culture newsletter
Today, August 27th, the Greek Orthodox church celebrates St. Fanourios (Αγιος Φανούριος), also the patron saint of the island of Rhodes.
Traditionally, a cake called Fanouropita is baked on this day, and is offered to the saint. It is said that St. Fanourios helps the faithful to find something they have lost, or to help manifest something in their lives. Anything can be asked for, from good health, money, a return to the faith, or even a lost wallet.
Fanouropita is moist, darkish in colour, and has the divine scent and flavour of cinnamon, clove, and cognac. Authentic recipes are hard to come by, handed down from generation to generation, they are a closely guarded secret. Fortunately, A dear friend of mine was given such a recipe to her many years ago by her grandmother, and has kindly passed it on to me so I can share it here. The family is from the island of Mykonos, where this recipe has its origins.
A specific prayer must be recited when making this recipe. It asks for help from St. Fanourios in manifesting that which the baker is seeking. Here I have attached the prayer for those seeking the full experience. I’ve used Google Translate, so some words might seem a bit out of place.
Lord Jesus Christ, the Heavenly Bread, the abundant sponsor of the bread of the menu for the ages, the giver of goods, the source of eternal food from the Sun, the hope of the hopeless, the help of the helpless and the salvation of our souls. Bless these gifts and those presented to you, to your glory and in honor of the holy glorious great martyr Fanourios. Give, dear one, to these blessed ones, all your worldly and transcendental goods. Make them rejoice in your presence, show them the way to salvation. The requests of these hearts and all their wills quickly fulfil, leading them to work your commands, so that for all in joy and rejoicing praise and glorify your ancient and majestic name, ambassadors of the most blessed Theotokos, of the holy glorious new martyr Fanourios, of Miracle worker, and all your saints. Amen.
Recipe
Ingredients
500gr sifted self-raising flour
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
1 cup sunflower oil
1 cup orange juice
1 orange zest
1 cup cognac
1 cup soft raisins
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp baking soda
icing sugar for dusting
Method
First, preheat your oven to 180c / 355 degrees f
In a mixing bowl, place all the dry ingredients except for the icing sugar, and combine well. Next, add the oil, orange juice, and cognac and mix the ingredients together with a maryse. The batter should not be stiff, but be thick and slightly runny. Line a baking tin with butter, I used a 23 cm round baking tin that worked out fine. A square cake tin can also be used. Add the batter to the tin and spread evenly. Place the Fanouropita in the oven, and cook for 45-50 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. After the Fanouropita has cooled, dust liberally with icing sugar and serve.
When the fanouropita is ready, it is taken to the church of St. Fanourios, and blessed by the priest along with all the other pies offered to the saint. Once blessed, it is distributed amongst the faithful and family.
Tradition says the saint’s mother was a sinner, and St. Fanourios was unable to convert her while she was alive. After passing away, it is said the saint prayed more for her salvation than for his own.
A short prayer is said for St. Fanourios mother before eating the cake.
May the mother of Saint Fanourios be forgiven.
Enjoy
Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
I forgot to mention that it doesn't have to be St. Fanourios day, nor do you have to be looking for something to make this pie. It's made any time you like.
Perfect Recipe!!