Fanouropita facts for kids
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| Type | Cake |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Greece, Cyprus |
| Cooking time | 60 minutes |
| Main ingredients | flour |
| Similar dishes | vasilopita |
Fanouropita is a special sweet pie from Greek cuisine. It's often called "The lost and found cake." People traditionally eat it on August 27 for St. Fanourios Memorial Day. It's given as a blessing to Greek Orthodox believers.
This cake is unique because it's made with oil, not butter or eggs. This means it can be eaten on holy fasting days. Many people offer this cake hoping to find things they've lost. This could be an object, a person, or even a solution to a problem. Greece has many traditions, and this one is very special. It honors Saint Fanourios, who is known as the patron saint of lost things.
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What's in a Name?
The name Fanouropita comes from Saint Phanourios, who is a patron saint of Rhodes. His name in Greek means "the one who reveals" or "the one who discloses." This is why he is known as the saint who helps people find "lost things."
Where Did It Start?
The tradition of Fanouropita began a long time ago, around the 1500s. It started when an icon (a special religious painting) of Saint Fanourios was found. It was discovered untouched among old ruins in Rhodes or Cyprus. Since then, Saint Fanourios has been known as the patron saint of lost items in the local Orthodox tradition.
When something lost is found, followers of Saint Fanourios often bake this cake. They do it to honor his mother. She was known to have had a difficult life and was not always kind to others. Fanourios prayed for her soul to be saved. So, baking the cake is also a way to ask for forgiveness for his mother.
What Does It Look Like?
Fanouropita is usually a round cake, about 25 to 30 centimeters (10-12 inches) across. It's often puffy and has a rich, oily texture. It smells wonderful and is sometimes dusted with white powdered sugar on top.
What's Inside?
Traditionally, Fanouropita is made with a specific number of ingredients. This number can be seven, nine, or eleven, depending on the region. The simplest version uses seven ingredients.
The most common ingredients are:
- Flour
- Vegetable oil
- Sugar
- Orange juice
- Baking powder
- Nuts
- Raisins
Sometimes, other ingredients are added, like cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, or water.
How Is It Made?
Making Fanouropita is quite simple. First, the dry ingredients are mixed together in one bowl. Then, the liquid ingredients are mixed in another bowl. After that, the two mixes are combined. The mixture is poured into a round baking pan.
It bakes in the oven at about 170-180°C (338-356°F) for about an hour. Once it's baked, the cake is taken out and left to cool down. Finally, it's often sprinkled with sifted powdered sugar.
The Tradition of Sharing
After the Fanouropita is baked, it is often taken to church to be blessed. After the blessing, pieces of the cake are shared with people. As mentioned, this sharing is part of the tradition to ask for forgiveness for Saint Phanourios' mother. She was a woman who was not very kind to the poor.
Fanouropita in Everyday Life
In many parts of Greece and Cyprus, Orthodox Christians still follow this tradition. They ask Saint Phanourios for help with different things. For example, unemployed people might ask for a job. Someone who lost an item might ask for it to be found. Unmarried girls might even ask for help finding a husband. It's a way for people to connect with their faith and hope for good things to happen.
