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Lagana
Lagana: the flat sesame bread baked only for Clean Monday, the first day of Greek Lent
Lagana appears in Greek bakeries for a single day, Kathara Deftera (Clean Monday), when families head outdoors to fly kites and spread out a Lenten picnic of taramosalata, olives, pickles and halva. It is a long, oval, dimpled flatbread, chewy inside with a crust covered in toasted sesame, and since it is eaten on a fasting day it has no eggs, milk or butter. Common mistake: baking it on a cold tray, which gives a pale, bready base. Chef's tip: press deep dimples with oiled fingertips just before baking so the loaf stays flat instead of puffing up like a pitta.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
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What you'll need
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Stir ¼ oz dried active yeast and 1 tsp sugar into 1 ½ cups warm water and leave for 5 minutes until foamy.
5 minStep 2: Mix 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour and 1 ½ tsp salt, add the yeast water and 2 tbsp of 2 tbsp olive oil, and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
10 minStep 3: Cover and leave to rise for about 1 hour, until doubled.
60 minStep 4: Put a large baking tray in the oven and heat to 450°F (400°F fan).
Step 5: Divide the dough in two and stretch each piece on floured baking paper into a long oval about 1.5 cm thick. Rest for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 6: Brush with the rest of 1 tbsp olive oil and a little water, press deep dimples all over with your fingertips and scatter thickly with 1 ⅜ oz sesame seeds.
Step 7: Slide the breads on their paper onto the hot tray and bake for 18–22 minutes, until golden brown and hollow-sounding underneath. Eat the same day, torn by hand.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 49 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lagana take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
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