Clean Monday

Clean Monday is the first Monday of Lent, in the Eastern Orthodox tradition and its actual date is March 18th this year. The clean originally referred to the purification of the soul for Lent. Today it's customary to clean the house thoroughly, and, in Greece, people go on picnics, eat shellfish, and fly kites!

I am continuing my preparation for Lent by observing Clean Monday today.

Agenda Today:

1. Prayer of Cleansing

2. Kitchen cleaning

3. Make Laguna (flat bread)

1. 

Prayer of Cleansing-

I Cleanse My Soul- Author Unknown 

I cleanse my soul in the dews of spring,

Light of mind's refreshing dew

Love of heart's renewing dew,

Life being's restoring dew,

Cleanse and recreate my soul this night.

May the souls of all beings be

Peacefully preserved

From fall of night
Till day's dear light.

2. Kitchen Cleaning:

Cleaning house is a custom for Clean Monday. In the Ukraine, Russia, and Greece everyone especially cleans the kitchen and the pots with which they have cooked festival foods, because it's the start of the Lenten fast.

This week I will clean my kitchen of dust and grime, the stove, the hood, and the counters, and while I clean I will rejoice in the wonder and privilege of having this warm, secure place to cook and eat each day.

I'm also working on clearing extra stuff from the house this month; February is when I feel a big urge to purge and simplify every room - to keep only the things I need and find beautiful, and give away the rest.

I've read many books over the years and my hands-down favorite is Marie Kondo's "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing". It's hard to say why, but something about her views spark me creatively. 

 

My plan this first week of Lent is to completely empty one or two drawers or a cabinet each day, and put back only what we need. Also, Find new, creative ways to store my stuff so it looks tidy and is easy to put away.

3. Make Lagana (Greek flat bread)
This simple flat bread is traditionally made on Clean Monday, and its traditional to tear and not slice your loaf of lagana today to avoid bad luck.

I served my lagana with garlic-rosemary olive oil.

Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 tsp. yeast
• 1-1/2 tsp. sugar
• 2-1/2 c. warm water
• 5-1/4 c. flour (any combination), plus some for kneading
• 3/4-tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 c. white and / or black sesame seeds
• 1/2-Tbsp. honey

Yield: one loaf (the pictures show two loaves but this is a half batch)

1. Combine yeast, sugar and water. Set aside for 10 minutes for the yeast to activate.

2. Add flour and salt. Mix well until you have a sticky dough. Knead for 10 minutes (I used my bread hook), adding a few more spoonfulls of flour to keep it from sticking, until the dough is smooth.

3. Place ball of dough in a large, clean bowl that has been very lightly greased with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm spot to rise about 1 or 1-1/2 hours. The dough will double in size.

4. In the bowl, knead the risen dough a few times to deflate it and then turn out onto your pan. Gently stretch and pat your dough into a rectangle. 

Use a wooden spoon to press small grooves or dots in the dough.

5. Let lagana dough rest, covered, and rise for another half hour.

6. Dilute the honey with a little boiling water and brush it all over the top of the bread. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake at 400ºF for 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool. Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving.