Lagana is very reminiscent of foccacia, another flat bread. The Lagana is a bread that’s tradionally baked for consumption on the first day of Greek Lent, Clean Monday.The Lagana is very easy to make and if you mix a batch of dough this evening or start tomorrow evening, you can have home-baked Langana for Kathera Deftera (Clean Monday).
The dough recipe is a riff on the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes master recipe and the dough is easy, forming the Laganes are simple and the result? Delicious.
The traditional topping for Lagana are sesame seeds. Now’s not the time for recipe twists.
Lagana (λαγάνα)
(makes 1 lagana )
baking sheet covered with parchment paper
2 tsp. of active dry yeast
1 tsp. of sugar
1 1sp. of coarse sea salt
1 1/2 cups of room temperature water
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
Sesame seeds
Pre-heated 375F oven
- In a large bowl, add your luke-warm water, yeast and sugar and stir to mix. Allow the yeast a few minutes to activate. Now add the flour and the salt and mix thoroughly with a heavy wooden spoon. You may also use your bread mixing attachment on your Kitchenaid (or whatever brand you have). If the dough mixture still looks to dry, add some more water in increments.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size. min. You may do this step just before bedtime too!
- Take the wrap off the bowl, treat your hands with some flour, punch the dough down and empty onto your work surface.
- Using your hands (treat with flour), form your Lagana (should be rectangular shaped with rounded ends) with your fingers. Pinch, rotate and let gravity help you form the shape. Place each piece of dough on your parchment-covered baking sheet and continue to form the Lagana by stretching it into shape.
- Allow the dough to rest and rise again for another 45-60 minutes. Pre-heat your oven to 375F oven (middle rack). Sprinkle each Lagana with sesame seeds.
- Fifteen minutes before baking, using your fingertips, poke-down each Lagana to deflate and make indents. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Place on a cooling rack to…well, cool.
Mmmmm…this is my favourite Greek bread! I just bought the Artisan bread book…a great adaptation Peter.
Peter καλημÎÏα από την Ελλάδα!!
Μόλις Îβγαλα από το φοÏÏνο τις λαγάνες και πήÏαμε το Ï€Ïωινό μας.
Καλή ΣαÏακοστή!!!
I am baking mine right now and the house smells heavenly. Kali Sarakosti.
I think, looking through your recipe, that the lagana is essential for almost all your recipes to mop up those delicious juices!!!
It looks really scrumptious and beautiful!
Cheers,
Rosa
Nothing like the smell of homemade bread to raise an appetite. I like the addition of sesame seeds on top. Yesterday I made my first ever pita bread Peter. You’re making me crave Greek food more and more.
Happy Kathera Theftera!!!
Have a good Lent Peter. I can’t wait to see what new lenten meals you have planned for us!
Now is the trime for some delicious lenten bread Peter.
nothing like fresh, warm homemade bread is there?
Oooh yum that bread does look good!
I’m looking forward to trying this delicious bread – sounds terrific with sesame seeds on top!
I am useless with dough, so I am so jealous of your lagana !
Kali Sarakosti Peter!
Kali Sarakosti Panteli!
lagana really is one of the best breads in greece – it’s a pity it’s only once a year that it is made; bakeries simply stop selling it after kathara deftera
kali sarakosti to you!
so it’s sesame seeds or bust, eh? i can handle that–i love the texture of this particular bread. the fact that it’s so simple is quite the added bonus!
Looks great, Peter – it does really look like foccacia!
This is the first time I read about this bread. Delicious looking, as always, Peter.
Γεια στα χÎÏια σου! Φαίνεται λαχταÏιστή! Καλή εβδομάδα και καλή ΣαÏακοστή!
Peter μπÏάβο σου, Ï„Îλεια φαίνεται!!
Καλή ΣαÏακοστή εÏχομαι!
I’ve been loving flatbreads lately…. looks delicious – and easy…. (my 2 favorite criteria) Maybe I could poke some Greek olives in those holes, hmmm?
Looks delicious. Who doesn’t love flatbreads?
I first read that as “lasagna” and thought, “Is there some Greek version of lasagna that just looks like flat bread?” ;-)
Oh goody…lots of sesame seeds! Beautiful loaf of bread with perfect crumb!
ive been eating lagana for the last 2 days – spoiled!! esp the lagana from the mountain villages. i agree – no deviating from the original here!
Looks like the perfect bread for dipping in a soup
This looks delish Peter! I agree: no twists on the traditional lagana. Kali Sarakosti.
I am going to try this.. soon. Love the way it looks. I want to dip this in acili ( the turkish condiment). Looks like it will make a perfect pair with any dip or with hummus.
Putting mine in the oven now! Thanks for such a great recipe and instruction!
Just made this for Holy Week, and my family loved it! Much better than the store-bought version – thank you for the great recipe, and Kali Anastasi!
Just did a batch this morning, and me and the kids ate it with fassolada. Mmmmm good!
Two thumbs up again Mr Minakis.
Great recipe! Perfect for easter since we can’t eat mostly anything. The video is a little different from the recipe (no oil or tahini) but that’s ok because you can atleast eat it on holy Wednesday and holy Friday when we can’t have oil. My husband already demolished halfvof it and we have 3 more days of fasting! Lol
So good! Making this right now for holy week with some spanakorizo and feta of course. I cant do with out dairy so just fasting meat for me. Love it!