Lagana: the Greek Lenten Bread

Lagana:  the Greek Lenten Bread is a sesame-topped flatbread that is always baked on the first day of Lent; a tradition that dates back to ancient times.  Lagana (pronounced la-GAH-na) is a soft, chewy, and delicious bread that looks something like Italian focaccia, but with a much lighter texture.

Monday is the first day of Great Lent in the Orthodox Church and called “Clean Monday” in Greek (Kathará Deftéra).  It is the equivalent of Ash Wednesday.  In the Orthodox church, this day symbolizes the start of the long period of fasting which lasts until Easter and is called “Sarakosti”.  Like Ash Wednesday, Clean Monday marks the beginning of a spiritual and physical purification that comes with a long fasting period.

Since this bread is only baked once a year, it is always highly anticipated and people buy it in great quantities at their local bakeries  to enjoy for days to come.  The homemade version is very easy to make, well worth the effort, and absolutely impossible to resist.

A few years back, I posted my original recipe for lagana, but this time I want to share my new favorite, a slightly different version which includes a small amount of creamy tahini!  Tahini is a smooth paste made from ground sesame seeds and Greece produces some of the finest tahini.  Adding a little tahini to the dough enhances the flavor of the bread and gives it a wonderful, subtly nutty flavor.

Ingredients you need to make the Lagana

This simple recipe only needs a few basic pantry ingredients that most of us have at home:

• Flour:  use higher protein bread flour for this recipe as it will give it more structure than AP flour
• Yeast:  instant or active dry yeast
• Tahini (*) :  to add a subtle “nutty” flavor.  If you do not like the taste, or have allergies, substitute with the same amount of olive oil instead
• Salt:  sea salt
• Οlive oil:  extra virgin olive oil
• Honey:  to help the yeast proof (you can use equal amount of sugar). If you can find Greek honey, it is the best!
• Sesame Seeds:  white are the traditional topping, but a mix of white and black is also good

(*) If you have never used tahini before, it is a good idea to buy a small jar of these roasted, ground sesame seeds.  Tahini is a versatile condiment that can be used to make hummus, lemony dressings & sauces or, just to spread on toasted bread with honey with your morning tea or coffee!

How to make the Greek Lenten Bread

1. Once you form the dough, lightly drizzle it with olive oil and place it in a large bowl to proof until doubled.

2.  Divide the dough in half , place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and gently stretch each half to an elongated rectangular shape.  Let it rise a second time.

3.  Once the dough is proofed again, brush it lightly with a little olive oil, sprinkle liberally with the sesame seeds, and gently dimple it before baking.

4.   Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the bread is a golden-brown color.

5.  Allow it to cool slightly and enjoy!

How to enjoy the lagana on Clean Monday

The traditional fare for this day excludes all dairy and meat products.  The only fish allowed is shellfish.  So, a typical spread will include marinated Greek olives, dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), taramosalata (a delicious, lemony carp roe spread, pictured below), baked Greek beans,  skordalia, all the vegetable and olive oil-based dishes (called lathera), shrimp, calamari, octopus (all cooked in olive oil only), and, a tahini-based Lenten sweet called “Macedonian halva”.

Here are more recipes to enjoy during the Lent period:  Traditional Greek Recipes for Lent

5.0 from 1 reviews

Lagana: the Greek Lenten Bread

 

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Lagana is a delicious, sesame seed - topped flatbread that is always baked on the first Monday of Lent, in Greece!

Author: Marilena Leavitt

Recipe type: Bread

Cuisine: Greek

Serves: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 1¼ - 1½ cups lukewarm water (105°F - 110°F)
• 2¼ tsp. active or instant dry yeast (1 envelope)
• 2 tsp. honey
• 2 TBSPS. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 TBSP. tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 500 gr. (about 4 cups) bread flour
• --- extra virgin olive oil for topping, or, 2 TBSP of water & 1 tsp of honey
• --- white sesame seeds for topping

Instructions

1. Whisk 1¼ cups water, yeast and honey in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk well to dissolve the yeast and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Add the olive oil, the tahini, and the salt, and, using a dough hook or sturdy spoon, mix briefly on the lowest speed and then add the flour, ½ cup at a time. Knead using the hook attachment until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl and is smooth, and elastic (if using a spoon, remove the dough to knead it on a bread board). The dough should feel moist and just a little sticky to the touch. You can add a bit more water--up to ¼ cup--if you need to. You want the dough to be moist because this will result in a bread with soft and airy crumb.
3. Shape the dough into a small ball, lightly drizzle a little olive oil over it and around the bowl of your stand mixer, or, place the dough inside a separate, oiled, large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and place it in a warm place to proof and double in volume, about one hour to 1.5 hours.
4. After this resting time, uncover the bowl and poke it with your finger to test if the dough is well proofed. It should feel pliable and soft. If the dough springs back halfway, it is ready for shaping. Punch the dough down to deflate it.
5. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. For a crispier bread, divide the dough into two equal parts. With oiled fingers, lift the dough and place the two parts on parchment paper. Pressing lightly with your fingertips, gently stretch the dough to two, rectangular shapes with rounded edges, about 5" x 8" each.
7. For a softer, fluffier bread, form the dough into one large rectangular or, oblong shape, about 9” x 13”. Stretch it as much as possible and, when the dough resists, wait for a few minutes and try stretching it again until the dough has relaxed a bit. Let it proof in a warm place, this time for about 30 minutes.
8. While the dough is rising for the second time, preheat your oven to 375°F.
9. Once the bread is proofed, brush it lightly with a little olive oil, using a pastry brush. Then, sprinkle liberally with the sesame seeds. Poke the top of the bread with your fingertips to make several deep indentations, being careful not to deflate it. This will give the lagana its characteristic appearance.
10. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the bread is a golden-brown color.
11. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the bread on a wire rack to cool slightly before cutting it in small pieces to serve. Enjoy it with your favorite spreads!

Notes

-- To give the flatbread that unmistakable look, do not forget to dimple the dough by pressing your fingers into the dough before baking.

-- To make the sesame seeds stick to the surface of the lagana even better, instead of brushing the top with olive oil, mix 2 TBSPS. of lukewarm water with 1 tsp. honey and brush it on the top of the lagana, before sprinkling with the sesame seeds.

3.5.3240

– THANK YOU FOR READING AND FOLLOWING ALONG –

Your support for my blog is greatly appreciated, please consider reviewing and rating my recipes!

If you are new here:  Subscribe to Marilena’s Kitchen to have every new post delivered right to your inbox!