Stir the sugar, salt and 1/4 cup butter into hot milk. Cool to lukewarm.

Sprinkle the yeast over warm water in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve.

Stir lukewarm milk mixture into the yeast mixture.

Add 2 eggs and 2 1/2 cups flour to the yeast mixture. Mix the ingredients until smooth.

Gradually add in the remaining 2 cups flour; knead by hand until the dough is stiff enough to leave the side of the bowl.

Place the dough in a lightly greased large bowl. Turn dough over—greased side up—and cover with a towel.

Let the dough rise in warm place (85F) free from drafts, until doubled in size—about an hour.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs slightly.

Add the pecans, brown sugar, 1/3 cup of melted butter, cinnamon and vanilla.

Stir until well blended and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Roll out dough very thin and into a rectangular shape. Spread filling gingerly over dough but leave about half an inch of dough free of filling around the edges. From the short end of the rectangle, start rolling the dough towards you. Once it's rolled, curl it up into a circle shape. Brush the potica with 2 Tablespoons of melted butter.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.