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Lagana

The Quirky Foodster Team

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Ingredients

  • 500 g (4 cups) bread flour
  • 7 g (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
  • 10 g (2 tsp) salt
  • 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) warm water
  • 40 ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
  • 20 g (2 tbsp) sesame seeds

Method

  1. Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Add warm water and olive oil, mix and knead for 8 minutes until smooth.
  3. Cover and prove for 45 minutes until doubled.
  4. Turn dough onto a floured surface and stretch or roll into a large flat oval, about 1 cm thick.
  5. Transfer to a lined baking tray, dimple the surface all over with fingertips, and scatter sesame seeds on top.
  6. Prove a further 15 minutes.
  7. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 15–18 minutes until golden.

Introduction: A flat, sesame-topped bread traditionally baked only once a year, on Clean Monday at the start of Greek Orthodox Lent, lagana is unleavened in the strictest sense but usually made with a small amount of yeast today.

Cultural Background: A flat, sesame-topped bread traditionally baked only once a year, on Clean Monday at the start of Greek Orthodox Lent, lagana is unleavened in the strictest sense but usually made with a small amount of yeast today.

Tips: Dimpling the dough deeply prevents large air bubbles. Serve fresh the same day, as lagana dries out quickly.

Variations: Some bakers add a little rosemary or extra olive oil for richness.

Storage: Best eaten the day it's baked; keeps 1 day at room temperature wrapped in a cloth.

Reheating: Warm briefly in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 3–4 minutes.

Nutrition: Approx. 210 kcal, 6 g protein, 5 g fat, 36 g carbohydrate per serving.

FAQs:

Q: When is lagana traditionally eaten?

A: On Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera), the start of Greek Orthodox Lent.

Q: Can I make it ahead?

A: It's best fresh, but the dough can be prepared the night before and proved in the fridge.

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