Bartella women gather to bake traditional Kleicha ahead of Christmas

NINEVEH– In preparation for Christmas and New Year celebrations, women in Bartella, Nineveh Governorate, are gathering in homes on a rotating basis to bake kleicha, a traditional pastry associated with joy and spiritual warmth during the season.

Fadia Shimni, a participant in the baking gatherings and owner of Tajhizat Al-Mahabba, told 964media that Bartella’s version of kleicha is distinct in size and texture. “Kleicha here is small and crumbly. We use a mix of half fat and half flour, and I personally use butter to enhance the flavor,” she said.

The fillings commonly include coconut, walnuts, and dates, along with a few unfilled pieces. Women take turns hosting the gatherings in their homes, preparing around three kilograms of dough each day leading up to Christmas.

“The kleicha symbolizes joy and love before the birth of Jesus Christ,” Shimni said. She added that using high-quality flour is essential to maintain the pastry’s integrity, noting that a good mix requires the flour quantity to be double the amount of fat.

Christians are one of the oldest continuous religious communities in Iraq. Christians in Iraq belong to several Eastern churches, including the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Syriac Catholic, and Syriac Orthodox.