Everyone has some sort of memory they cherish over the holidays. Mine is watching my mother as she baked gata for Christmas. I would hang over her shoulder like a vulture as she’d make a little well of flour and add egg yolks to the middle. Then, when she wasn’t looking, I’d sneakily try to pop each yolk. Despite my meddling, her gata always came out perfect. Slightly sweet and fluffy in the middle, the crackly crust would melt in my mouth to reveal a beautiful symphony of fall flavors. For this reason, gata is one of the most famous Armenian pastries. It’s a bit difficult to explain, but it is sort of like a cross between a cookie and a cinnamon roll. Essentially, it’s a dough roll-up with a filling in the middle. Each family has its own preferred filling. Some use white sugar and brandy, others use brown sugar and crushed walnuts. My mother goes a step further and adds dried cranberries to the brown sugar mix for that holiday twist. This holiday season, I’ve decided to share the recipe she uses. Bake it and bring some cheer to you and your household!
Ingredients:
Dough:
2+1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
150 grams of cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup of full-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 egg, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
Filling:
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup of granulated sugar
120 grams of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of toasted walnuts
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup of dried cranberries
Egg wash:
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp cream or milk
Directions:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- In another bowl, mix together the sour cream, yogurt, egg white, and vanilla extract and set aside.
- Add the butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry knife or a fork, cut and mix until a coarse mixture is formed.
- Slowly adding the liquid ingredients, mix and form into a smooth dough.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead, just to bring it together. Make sure to not overwork the dough.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal portions, form into a flat rectangle shape, and place in the fridge to cool for about 25-30 minutes.
- For the filling, add the ingredients together and mix.
- Roll out the dough into about 16″x9″ rectangle shape.
- Pour half of the filling in the center, leaving at least 2 inches from the sides empty.
- Flatten the filling with your hand to spread it evenly.
- Wrap and roll the dough.
- If the dough gets warmer while working, wrap it with wax paper and place it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/180°C.
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper.
- Slice the gata roll into triangle or diamond shapes.
- Using a fork, make a few stripes for the design.
- Mix egg yolk with cream and glaze on top of each roll.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden color.