BOILED WHEAT (for slava or all souls day)

Wheat is an integral part of the Macedonian tradition and serves in honor of the saint who is celebrated for the health and progress of the home and the family. The wheat grain in Christianity is a symbol of eternal life, death and resurrection. The wheat prepared for slava (saint's glory) is boiled and offered in honor of the saint who is celebrated, for health and progress in the home and the people who live in it, as well as for the rest of the souls of all the ancestors who lived in that home. After cutting the wheat cake, the grain first is served to the host, and then the other members of the family. After that, all the guests are served, and as people come to the slava, are first served with wheat. The wheat is most often served by the housewife or girl from the house, daughter or granddaughter, in the following way: the host offers the wheat to the guest, the guest makes cross, turns to the host and the householder, congratulates the saint's glory and takes from the wheat, after which again crosses and sits in place. The wheat is first served to the elderly, then to the young. The wheat tray stands beside the glory candle while the glory lasts. If wheat remains when the glory is over, it is given to the children or to the present guests.
 
Ingredients:

• 500 g of wheat
• 400 g of sugar
• 400 g of crushed walnuts
• 1 pack vanilla sugar (10 g)
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Clean the wheat and put it in a bowl, then pour it over with water and leave it overnight.
2. The next morning, wash the soaked wheatn in several waters and cook the wheat in a pot.
3. When the wheat is cooked, let it cool down a little and when it reaches the room temperature, drain it, but don't wash it so it can keep its wheat starch.
4. While it's still warm, mince the wheat shortly in a blender, don't mince it too much, just a bit.
5. Add minced walnuts, sugar, vanilla sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.
6. Mix well everything well, then place the resulting mixture in a shallow plate, cover it with nylon foil and shape it with hands. Then, decorate as desired, add powdered sugar on top or crushed walnuts. Make cross in the middle.