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" Lagana" Bread for Clean Monday

This bread is made on Clean Monday, which is the beginning of the Lent season in Greece.
Course Side
Cuisine Greek
Keyword bread, Greek, holidays, lagana
Author "The Food and Wine of Greece" by Diane Kochillas

Ingredients

  • 3 envelopes instant dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 7 to 8 cups bread flour
  • 2 1/4 cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons substitute olive oil for lent, or butter
  • Olive oil
  • Sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast, sugar,and 1/4 cup of the bread flour in warm water. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes until begins bubble.
  2. In your mixer bowl, or a large bowl, place 7 cups of flour and salt, mix with a whisk to blend.
  3. Make a well and add melted butter.
  4. Add yeast mixture.
  5. Stir well with a wooden spoon.
  6. Start your mixer on medium and mix for 5-8 minutes until it comes together and becomes smooth.
  7. Or, place flour on your surface and knead for 10 minutes by hand.
  8. Shape dough into a ball. Rub with olive oil. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise. Let stand for 2 hours until doubled.
  9. When dough has risen, remove from bowl and knead until it's down to it's original size.
  10. ( At this point I placed it in the same oiled bowl and placed it in the refrigerator covered.)
  11. Divide into two balls - if you made the entire amount. Only one ball if you halved it.
  12. Lightly oils your pan(s).
  13. With a rolling pan, roll out the dough into a flat oval shape about 15 x 6 inches. Cover and let rise for 45-50 minutes until doubled.
  14. Place in sheet pan and brush with olive oil and cover with sesame seeds.
  15. Bake for 30 minutes in a 450 degree oven until golden brown. Place on wire rack to cool immediately.

Recipe Notes

Makes 2 large loaves I made one and cut this recipe in half. I used my mixer with the dough hook, and it worked beautifully. I also made it up the night before, let it rise once, and placed it in the refrigerator, let it rise one more time in the baking sheet pan and baked it in the morning-fresh. My bread was not flat, but high and fluffy.