WHen all else fails...there's always Fanouropita

Saint Fanourios is a Greek Orthodox saint, known as the Martyr and the miracle worker. He is one of my favourite saints, because I have a very bad habit of losing things, and always end up plarying and pleading with hime to help me find my keys, phone, car... I like to consider him my caretaker, because without hime I'd lose my head.

His name comes from the Greek work 'fanero' which means ' I reveal'. You bake the traditional Fanouropita as a gift or thank you to the saint and offer it to anyone who will take a piece. I sometimes leave it at a Local St. Fanourios church, where the priests will take it to a hospice.

There is not a whole lot known about his life. We know that he lived during Roman times and was in constant persecution because of his Christian beliefs. There is an icon that was discovered on the island of Rhodes during a period when the island was ruled by Turks.

The Turks decided to rebuild the walls of the city that had been destroyed during the war. They sent workers outside to collect rocks from the house ruins to help rebuild the wall. While doing this a beautiful church that was also destroyed was discovered and many icons were found inside. Most of them were destroyed to the point that you could not read the lettering on them. Amazingly, one stood out from all the others completely unharmed. It was an icon of a young man in a Roman soldier’s uniform. In his right hand he held a spear and in his left hand was a cross and a lit candle. Around he perimeter of the icon were twelve events of martyrdom that the Saint suffered, which revealed much of his life.

The Tradition of the Fanouropita

The tradition of baking a Fanouropita is a great honor bestowed upon the Saint. It is typically a small, round cake and is made whenever the saint reveals a lost object, a job, a cure or anything else the person has sought to find, is found.

Ingredients:

1 c. Olive oil (250 ml)

1 c. Fresh orange juice (250ml)

2 c. Sugar (400 gr)

1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Ground cloves

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

500 gr. Self raising flour

Optional * crushed walnuts and raisins

1. Mix flour and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix oil, sugar, orange juice, water and lemon peel.
2. Beat mixture for a few minutes, then add flour, raisins and walnuts. Mix well.
3. Grease and flour a baking pan.
4. Pour batter into pan.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes @ 180 degrees.
6. Cool completely.
7. Dust with powdered sugar.

Tip: If you let the cake sit a day before serving, it absorbs the flavors better.

Via Orthodox mom, Recipe here.