Braided Rich Bread

This is the bread of all breads in Macedonian cuisine. It plays a role in almost all of our most important traditions, including baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Traditionally, the bride and groom tear apart the Pogacha as part of their wedding ceremony—whoever gets the bigger piece is said to rule the household. But it is also an ideal day-to-day bread, and often portioned into simple loaves. My grandmother could make this bread using just her instincts to measure the ingredients.<