Lagana - Greek Traditional Flatbread

Greek lagana (λαγάνα) is a traditional flatbread made especially for Clean Monday (Καθαρά Δευτέρα), the first day of Lent in the Greek Orthodox calendar. It marks the beginning of the fasting period before Easter, and lagana is basically the star of the table that day.

This Greek flatbread was made without leavening agents (yeast) in the past, symbolizing a simple, humble start to Lent. Most modern versions, like the one I’m sharing with you here, use active dry yeast for a softer texture. The difference with making bread is the time you leave the dough to rest, just for 1-2 hours. Also the dough is more sticky resemebling a lot the dough of Greek sesame bagels (koulouria).

How it’s eaten

On Clean Monday, lagana is served with all the classic fasting dishes:

• Taramosalata
• Olives, cucumber and tomatoes
• Pickled vegetables
• Octopus and other seafood
• Stuffed grape leaves
• and many more

It’s basically used to scoop and dip in sauces, dips, soups or salads.

Ingredients & How-to

To make this Greek lagana bread we are going to need bread flour, active dry yeast, sugar, salt, olive oil, tahini, water and sesame seeds.

• Bread flour: I’m using bread flour that is stronger than all-purpose and has a higher-protein content.
• Olive oil: If you don’t want to use olive oil, you could use the oil from the top of the tahini jar.
• Sesame seeds: Traditionally, lagana has sesame seeds spread on top. Make sure they are not pretoasted as they will get burnt in the oven.
• Sugar: A little bit of sugar is added with the yeast to help with activation and also later on mixed with water before spreading the sesame seeds on top. Alternatively, you could use honey in both cases.

For full quantities check the recipe card down below.

01. To start, I add the lukewarm water, yeast, and sugar to a bowl. I cover with cling film and let it rest for about 10 minutes. The yeast should become foamy on top, that’s how you know it’s activated and ready to use.

Make sure the water isn’t too hot, it should be around 100°F (40°C). If the water is too hot, or if the yeast has expired, you won’t see any foam forming on the surface. If that happens, discard the mixture and start again with fresh yeast.

02. Next, I add the olive oil and tahini to the bowl. In a separate bowl, I mix together the flour and salt, then gradually add the dry ingredients to the yeast mixture. I like to mix the flour and salt separately first to avoid direct contact between the salt and yeast, as salt can slow down the yeast’s activity.

03. I like to use my stand mixer when making dough for convenience. If you don’t have a stand mixer, then you could knead the dough by hand. It doesn’t require much kneading, I leave it for 5 minutes in medium-low speed.

04. As it mixes, you’ll notice the dough gradually coming together and forming a ball around the hook, just be patient. After about 5 minutes, there shouldn’t be any dough sticking to the sides of the bowl. It should be wrapped around the hook, with a texture that’s soft, slightly sticky, and shiny. Keep in mind that lagana dough is softer than typical bread dough. It should be tender and a little sticky to the touch.

05. I place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn it to coat all sides. This helps prevent it from sticking as it rises and doubles in size. I cover and let it rest for at least 1 hour, or until doubled. On colder days, I like to let the dough rise in the oven (turned off) to create a slightly warmer environment.

06. After the dough has risen, I remove the covers and oil my hands to handle it. I deflate it and place it on my working surface. I split the dough in two for making two medium sized lagana breads.

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07. You don’t need a rolling pin to shape the lagana. The dough is very pliable, similar to pizza dough, and easy to work with. I start by shaping it into a ball, then gently press it with my fingers to stretch it into an oval.

08. Before placing the lagana on the tray, I brush it with some oil and spread some semolina flour. You could also use cornmeal or just skip it if you don’t have any. It helps to get a nice crispy bottom.

09. Now that the dough has rested again for the second time, I brush the top with a mix of water and sugar and spread the sesame seeds on top. The sugary water helps the sesame seeds to stick on the lagana and also make it crispy outside. Then I make little dimples with my fingers to give it its traditional shape and prevent it from forming any air bubbles in the oven.

10. It takes about 20 minutes to get a nice golden brown color. You could bake it a bit more for a crispier exterior, just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get burnt. I let the lagana breads cool down on a rack for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Tips

• Oil the top of the dough before covering with cling film so it’s easier to remove from the bowl after the rise.
• Oil your hands and your surface or wooden board so it’s easier to spread the dough and form the lagana.
• If your kitchen is cold, place the dough in the oven (turned off) to proof. This helps create a slightly warmer, draft-free environment so the dough can rise properly.
• Use bread flour or a flour with high protein content for better results.

Serving suggestions

Lagana is traditionally served on Clean Monday (Kathara Deutera) with other Lenten food like taramosalata, olives, seafood, potato salad and black eyed peas salad and many more. You can find some of my favorite Clean Monday recipes on this page.

Storage

Lagana is best enjoyed on the day while it’s still crispy outside and soft in the middle. If you do have any leftovers, you could store it in a bread bin or bread storage bags for up to 3 days.

FAQ

What can I use instead of oil?

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?