What is Greek New Years bread (Vasilopita Tsoureki)?

If you’re looking for a delicious and unique way to ring in the New Year, you may want to try making Vasilopita Tsoureki, a traditional Greek sweet bread.

There are two main variations of Vasilopita – the Vasilopita cake version, and the tsoureki dough version, which is this recipe here, kind of the same as an easter Tsoureki but rather shaped in a tin! Tsoureki is typically made with a brioche-like dough.

After baking the Vasilopita bread, a lucky coin is inserted through the base, and it’s said that whoever finds the coin in their slice will have good luck in the new year. Greek New Years bread is usually decorated with glaze or icing sugar and it is customary that the year number is decorated on top of the cake.

Classic Greek New Year recipe: The dish is served in Greek homes on New Year.
Lots of ways to personalise it: You can change the nut flavours and decoration to suit your taste.

Vasilopita Tsoureki Key Ingredients

For the Greek New Years bread: You need the basic instant yeast, water, sugar, milk and butter for the bread. Add to that some mastic teardrops and ground mahleb. I use a strong bread flour with salt and eggs and add orange zest and a vanilla pod for extra flavor.

For the glaze: This is made with water, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and flaked almonds.

Vasilopita bread Key Preparation Tips

There are three main steps to making your own New Year vasilopita bread :

1. Combine the bread ingredients
2. Work the dough
3. Cook the bread
4. Add the New Year coin and decorate

Combine the bread ingredients

Add the sugar, milk and butter to a small saucepan set over medium low heat. Stir it often until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Then take it off the heat and let it cool down some.

Meanwhile, combine the yeast and tepid water in a large mixing bowl. Whisk it until frothy.

Start by pounding the mastic with a mortar and pestle. Add the mahleb to prevent it from sticking and continue to grind until it’s finely crushed.

In a mixing dish of your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, orange zest, and spice mixture.

Place the flour, salt, sugar, butter and milk in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently but consistently for about 30 seconds to combine the ingredients. Next, whisk in the yeast mixture and vanilla seeds (if using).

Thoroughly mix the two mixtures together using a fork until it forms a rough dough.

Work the dough

To knead the dough, attach the dough hook and mix for 15 minutes until the texture is smooth, tight and stretchy. Then, use a scraper or spatula to form it into a ball shape. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 2 hours so it can double in size.

Meanwhile, line an 18-20cm cake tin (7 inch) with a round of baking parchment and butter it well before placing it in the oven to preheat.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and expel any air bubbles if necessary. Using a knife or a dough scraper, cut the dough into three equal-sized pieces.

Roll the dough into ropes that are half stretched and half rolled. They should be about 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) in thickness. Pinch the top of the rope to bring all the strands together, then braid them.

Be sure to not leave any air pockets between the strand, but also don’t stretch the dough too much as you braid it. Once you’ve finished braiding, shape it into a coil and tuck the ends underneath so it’s tidy looking.

After braiding, transfer the dough to a prepared tin and let it rise for another two hours.

Cook the Vasilopita bread and finish with the glaze

Preheat oven to 150C (300F) 30 minutes before the end of the proofing time. Bake the vasilopita tsoureki until it is a little risen, golden in colour, and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Let cool completely before removing from the baking tin.

While the vasilopita bread is cooling, toast the almonds in a small frying pan over a medium stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.

For the decoration, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water to create the glaze. If you desire, push a coin into the base of the bread before spooning it over the cake so it falls in between slices. Add almonds for garnish.

Finally, it is customary that the year number is decorated on top of the New Year bread. Get some nice New Year decorations and place them on the Vasilopita bread.

What are mastic teardrops and ground mahleb?

Mastic (masticha) teardrops and ground mahlab or mahleb (mahlepi) are two traditional ingredients used in Mediterranean cooking. Mastic is a resin that is harvested from the bark of the mastic tree, and it has a slightly piney flavor. Ground mahleb is made from the kernels of St. Lucie cherries, and it has a sweet, nutty taste.

These two ingredients are often used together in recipes for sweets and baked goods, as they complement each other perfectly. In addition to their flavor, mastic teardrops and ground mahleb also have unique textures that make them interesting additions to any dish.

Making ahead of time and storing

Everyone knows that the best Vasilopita Tsoureki is always made fresh. But luckily, there are a few easy ways to keep it fresh for longer. For example, you can store it in an airtight container for a few days.

Or if you want it to keep for longer, portion out your vasilopita in slices and freeze them. Defrost it when you’re ready to eat. Simply defrost the bread overnight, and then enjoy it fresh anytime you want!

And of course, don’t forget to make your melomakarona, kourabiedes, diples and kariokes(walnut filled chocolate crescents) to complete your Christmas and New Year’s platter!

Finally, to discover more Greek Christmas traditions and customs to celebrate with your loved ones have a look at my article on Greek Christmas traditions and customs.

Vasilopita Tsoureki recipe (Greek New Years Bread/ Vasilopita bread)

(101 votes, average: 4.91 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 4 hours 30 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 10 pieces
• Category: Breads
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Vasilopita bread is a sweet treat that is served on New Year, but it’s quite challenging to make. No worries! I’ve got you covered! Get your little helpers and follow my step by step recipe to create the perfect aromatic Vasilopita tsoureki to welcome the New Year!

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Ingredients

For the Vasilopita Tsoureki bread

• 110g sugar (3 3/4 oz)
• 75ml milk (5 tbsp)
• 60g butter (2 oz), plus extra for the pan
• 12g instant yeast (1/2 oz)
• 65ml tepid water (1/4 cup)
• 1–2 mastic teardrops
• 1 1/2 tsp ground mahleb
• 435g strong bread flour (15 1/4 oz), plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 tsp salt
• zest of 1/2 large orange
• 2 large eggs
• seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod (optional)

For the glaze

• 20g flaked almonds (3/4 oz) 
• 50g powdered sugar (1 3/4 oz), sieved to remove any lumps
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp water

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Instructions

Prepare the dough for Vasilopita Tsoureki

1. To prepare this Vasilopita tsoureki bread recipe start by making the dough first.

2. Combine the sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan and set over a medium low heat. Allow to heat through, whisking often until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the yeast and the tepid water and set aside until frothy.

4. Using a mortar and pestle, start to crush the mastic. To stop it sticking and to help break it down, add the mahleb and continue to grind to a powder.

5. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, orange zest and the spice mix, and set aside.

6. Lightly whisk the eggs in the bottom of a large mixing jug. Still whisking, gradually add the sugar, butter and milk mixture, which so not to cook the eggs should now be cool enough for you to comfortably hold your finger in. Next, whisk in the yeast mixture and the vanilla seeds, if using.

7. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture using a fork, bringing the whole thing together into a rough dough.

8. With the dough hook attachment, knead the dough for 15 minutes until the dough is smooth, tight and stretchy. Using a dough scraper or a spatula scrape the dough into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, leaving it until it has at least doubled in size – this should take about 2 hours.

Form the Vasilopita Tsoureki

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock back any air bubbles. Using a knife or a dough scraper, cut the dough into three equal sized pieces.

2. Taking each piece of dough between your palms, half stretch, half roll the dough into roughly 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) ropes. Pinch these together at the top and shape into a braid; not loose enough that there are any air pockets between the strands, but not too tight that the dough is stretched any further. Shape the plaited rope into a coil, tucking the ends underneath the coil to tidy it up.

3. Generously butter a 18-20cm cake tin (7 inch) before lining it with a round of baking parchment.

4. Transfer the shaped dough to the prepared tin and cover again to rise again for another 2 hours.

Bake the Greek New years bread

1. Towards the end of the proofing time, pre-heat the oven to 150C (300F). Bake the dough for 30 minutes until risen a little, golden, and if you carefully slide the bread from the tin and tap it on the bottom, it sounds hollow. Leave to cool completely.

Decorate the Vasilopita bread

1. While the bread is cooling, toast the almonds in a small frying pan set over a medium heat, and set aside.

2. To decorate, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water to make the glaze. Push a coin, wrapped in aluminum foil into the base of the bread so it can be found in one of the slices, then spoon the glaze over the cake, pushing it around with the back of your spoon to make sure it falls into all the coils. Scatter with the toasted almonds, and serve.

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Keywords: vasilopita tsoureki, greek new years bread, vasilopita bread recipe

The post Vasilopita Tsoureki recipe (Greek New Years Bread/ Vasilopita bread) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So let’s get started! Read on to discover my tips and tricks to make your bread machine tsoureki to perfection, step by step photos and of course my bread machine specific recipe!

What is Tsoureki?

Easy bread machine Tsoureki key ingredients

• Flour: To make the perfect Tsoureki you will need to get yourself some strong white flour, also known as bread flour. It is high in protein, gluten, and it will help your tsoureki get a deliciously chewy and stringy texture and not fall apart when baking.
• Spices – mahlab, cardamom, mastic: What gives a traditional tsoureki its amazing smell and taste are its spices. You’ll need to get yourself some mahlab – it is a sweet smelling berry that gives off an almond-y, cherry like smell. You can find some either on Amazon or your local Greek or Arab deli. You’ll also need to get some cardamom powder, which will give the tsoureki a subtly woody smell. I also love using some mastic resin that gives the tsoureki a delicious smell that reminds me of pine and cedar.
• Orange zest: I love adding some orange zest to my tsoureki. I find it balances out the earthy spices with a delicious citrusy smell.
• Butter, Milk, Eggs: You’ll need some good quality unsalted butter made from cows milk. Also full fat milk and some good quality fresh eggs. The butter, milk and eggs enrich the dough and give it that delicious soft texture and also its color! I personally love picking the golden yolk eggs variety as they give the dough an amazing golden color!
• Instant yeast: You will need to get some instant yeast, also known as quick yeast or easy bake yeast to make this tsoureki in your bread machine. It is fast acting, it doesn’t need dissolving in water and is perfectly suited for bread machine use! If you only have dry active yeast, dissolve it in the water before adding it in the bread machine.
• Sugar: You’ll need some plain regular granulated sugar, which is super common in all supermarkets.
• Almond slivers: To garnish your tsoureki!

How to make your Tsoureki in your bread machine

Making a tsoureki in a bread machine could not be simpler! The bread machine will do all the hard work for you, kneading the dough and proofing it at the right temperature, resulting in the perfect tsoureki dough with no effort at all. You just need to:

1. Put the ingredients in the bread machine bowl and run the dough cycle
2. Let it proof until it has doubled in size
3. Shape it into a loose braid and let it proof until it has doubled in size again
4. Bake it in your oven

Preparing the tsoureki dough in your bread machine

Proofing your bread machine tsoureki dough

As the tsoureki dough is stiffer than a traditional brioche dough, it needs a lot longer to proof than most bread machine dough cycles allow for. Luckily there are a couple of ways to do that.

If your bread machine has a proofing setting, you are in luck! Set it and let the easy tsoureki dough proof for around 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size, as shown in the picture below. 

If your bread machine doesn’t have a proofing setting but has a sourdough starter setting, use that. It does exactly the same thing, setting the bread machine temperature to 30C/86F which is the perfect temperature to proof doughs! 

If you have an older bread machine model that doesn’t have a proofing or a sourdough starter cycle, then simply leave the tsoureki dough in the bread machine with the lid shut. It will take a little longer (around 4 hours) to proof as the temperature will drop, but it will still work great to proof your tsoureki dough. 

Whichever way you use, the dough is done proofing when it has doubled in size, its puffy and is almost doming out from the bread machine bowl as shown below.

Give your bread machine tsoureki dough as much time as it needs to reach this stage. It should take around 3 to 4 hours, but if it needs a bit longer, let it do its thing.

Shaping your bread machine tsoureki

Once your dough is ready, its time to start shaping your tsoureki bread. You’ll need to tip out the tsoureki dough from the bread machine bowl, gently deflate it and split it into three equal portions. I always use my scale to weight the dough and make sure the three portions are of the same weight.

Once you’ve portioned out your tsoureki dough, roll it gently with your hands and then grab it from the edges and shake it gently to shape it into a rope. Your three tsoureki dough “ropes” should end up being around 60cm/24 inches long, like the picture below.

After you’ve got your dough stretched out into dough ropes, it’s time to start shaping the tsoureki braid. Pinch the top of the three dough ropes together. 

Then bring the middle rope over the left one. Now, bring the now middle rope over the right one. Carry on until your braid is complete. Make sure your braids are barely tight. You want space for your dough to expand when proofing.

Once done, tuck the ends under the dough so your ends are nice and round. Now your tsoureki dough should look like the picture below. 

Finally transfer your dough onto some parchment paper and then into a deep baking dish. Cover with some cling film and set aside to proof for around 1 to 1 and a half hours or until the dough has doubled in size again. 

If your room is cold, use the oven trick again – turn on the oven light and place your dough in it. It will keep it warm enough and speed up the final proof.

Decorating and baking your bread machine tsoureki

Once the tsoureki braid has doubled in size and looks nice and puffy, its time to decorate and bake it. Preheat your oven to 160C / 320F fan. Crack your last egg in a bowl, add the water and whisk with a fork. This will become the glaze for the tsoureki.

The egg wash serves three purposes – it gives your dough that golden brown color, it softens the dough so it doesn’t crack as it expands in the oven and it allows your almond slivers to stick to the tsoureki!

Next, grab a pastry brush, dip it in the egg wash and gently brush the tsoureki with the egg wash. You want enough egg wash to cover the tsoureki all around and where the braids meet.

Finally, sprinkle on your almond slivers and put your easy tsoureki in the oven. Bake it for approximately 45 minutes or until golden brown throughout. As most ovens don’t distribute their heat evenly, half way through the baking time rotate your baking tray to make sure all sides of your tsoureki brown evenly!

Tip: If you notice that your tsoureki browns too quickly, cover it with some aluminium foil.

Troubleshooting

• My tsoureki did not rise: There could be two causes for this. Your yeast could have gone stale or the room temperature is too cold. Test your yeast by adding a spoon full in some Luke warm water with a pinch of sugar. If it foams after 10-15 minutes, the yeast is working. If your room is too cold, simply pop the tsoureki dough in your oven with the oven light on. If your home is extra cold boil some water, put it in a pan and place it in the rack underneath the tsoureki dough. This will supercharge the proofing process!
• My tsoureki is cracking on top: If your tsoureki has cracked on top its because the second proof was not complete before baking it. To prevent it from cracking on top, the braided tsoureki dough needs to double in size before baking. Finally make sure you use plenty of egg wash and sprinkle some where the braids meet to soften the dough and allow it to stretch when baking.

For more tips and tricks dont forget to also check out my traditional Greek Tsoureki recipe, made using a stand mixer.

How to store your bread machine tsoureki

To keep your bread machine tsoureki fresh, make sure you cover it tightly with some cling film. This helps lock in the moisture and as an added bonus, it softens the crust, making it even more delicious! 

As the tsoureki contains eggs and butter it will keep fresh for approximately 5 days if kept at room temperature. If you want to keep it for longer, simply slice it, wrap it in cling film or put it in some large freezer bags and pop it in the freezer where it will keep for 2-3 months.

When you want to eat it, simply take a slice out and pop it in the microwave for 30-40 seconds on full heat. It will taste as good and soft as fresh!

More traditional Greek Easter Recipes

If you love my easy tsoureki recipe then my handpicked recipes below are made for you!

• Tsoureki muffins
• Traditional tsoureki (made using your mixer)
• Koulourakia Greek Easter cookies 
• Traditional Cypriot Flaounas
• Cretan sweet cheese pastries 

Also if you love using your bread machine, then my delicious Bread machine sourdough bread recipe is made for you!

Easy Tsoureki in Bread Machine

(79 votes, average: 4.99 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Rising time: 4 hours
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 1 tsoureki
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Who doesn’t love a deliciously soft tsoureki! This is my super easy tsoureki recipe made using a bread machine. It needs less than 10 minutes hands on time to prepare because your bread machine does all the hard work, leaving you with more time to enjoy it!

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Ingredients

For the dough

• 500 gr (17.6 oz) strong white (bread) flour
• 5 tsp instant dry yeast
• 130 gr (4.6 oz) sugar
• 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) milk
• 90 ml (3 fl oz) water
• 80 gr (2.8 oz) butter
• 2 eggs
• 5 tsp ground mahleb seeds
• 1 tsp ground cardamon seeds
• 2–3 ground mastic “teardrops”
• 1/2 tsp salt

To glaze and decorate

• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp water
• 4 tbsp almond slivers

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Instructions

1. To prepare my easy tsoureki in bread machine start by adding the flour in the bread machine bowl.
2. Add the yeast on one corner of the bread machine bowl.
3. Add the tsoureki ground spices (mahleb, ground cardamon seeds, ground mastic), the salt, sugar and orange zest on the other side of the baking pan.
4. Crack the eggs in a bowl, pour in the water and whisk.
5. In the bread machine bowl, pour in the milk and the egg-water mixture and add half the butter.
6. Place the bowl in the bread machine and start the brioche dough programme. In the Panasonic SD-ZX2522, use menu 33. On the Panasonic SD-ZB2512 use menu 29. When the bread machine beeps, add the remaining butter and resume the programme.
7. If your bread machine doesn’t have a brioche dough setting, use the plain dough setting and half way through the kneading cycle add the remaining butter to your tsoureki dough.
8. Once the programme is complete, your bread machine tsoureki dough should look soft, springy and a little bit sticky.
9. Its now time to proof your bread machine tsoureki. Set your bread machine to the “rise” programme and let it proof for about 3 hours. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size and has almost filled the bread machine bowl.
10. If your bread machine doesn’t have a “rise” programme, use the sourdough starter programme and let the tsoureki dough proof for about 3 hours. If your bread machine doesn’t have a rise or sourdough starter programme, simply switch off the bread machine and leave the tsoureki dough in it for about 4 hours to proof.
11. Once the tsoureki dough has proofed, remove the bowl from your bread machine and gently deflate your dough.
12. Pour out the dough and using your scale split it in three equal portions.
13. Take one portion of dough and roll it a little using your hands. Then grab it by the ends and shake it to stretch it into a rope. Each tsoureki string should be around 60cm/24 inch long. This technique will align the gluten in the dough and help it form that delicious stringy texture that characterises there traditional tsoureki.
14. Lay your three tsoureki dough ropes side by side. Pinch the three dough ropes together on the top and fold the ropes over each other, forming a braid. Finally tuck the edges underneath.
15. Transfer your tsoureki dough in a large baking dish lined with some parchment paper. Cover with some cling film and let it proof for around 1 hour, until it has doubled in size. If your house is cold, try turning the oven light on and putting your dough in it, to accelerate the proofing.
16. Your dough is now ready to decorate. Crack one egg in a bowl, add a couple of tablespoons of water in it and whisk. Brush your tsoureki in a bread machine dough with the egg wash and sprinkle the almond slivers over it.
17. Preheat your oven to 160C / 320F and bake your tsoureki for 45 minutes until it turns golden brown on top. Halfway through the cooking time rotate your baking dish so that the tsoureki is evenly coloured.
18. Remove your bread machine tsoureki from the oven and let it cool down on a cake rack. Slice and serve with some chocolate spread or jam! Wrap it with some cling film to help keep it fresh!
19. Enjoy!

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Keywords: tsoureki in bread machine, tsoureki in bread maker, easy tsoureki

The post Easy Tsoureki in Bread Machine appeared first on My Greek Dish.

If you’re like me and the current lockdown has pushed you to explore your bread making skills you would have been overwhelmed with how complicated and difficult most homemade sourdough bread recipes are. Thing is, it doesn’t have to be this way! 

Method for homemade sourdough bread recipe with starter 

In this simple and easy sourdough bread recipe with starter I will take you through my method for:

1. Preparing the sourdough starter.
2. Feeding the starter.
3. Preparing the dough for the sourdough bread.
4. Shaping and proofing your dough.
5. Baking the sourdough bread.
6. The recipe!

And of course all my tips and tricks so you get that amazing open crumb and crackly texture in your homemade sourdough bread that you crave for! For the full recipe scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the page. So, let’s get started!

Preparing your sourdough starter for your sourdough bread

A strong healthy sourdough starter is key to making a delicious homemade sourdough bread. Most sourdough bread recipes with starter I’ve seen call for you to prepare your own starter. However this process usually takes time – about 1 to 2 weeks and it may not always be successful. 

So if you want to spare yourself the effort and get fool proof results every time simply buy a ready made culture from Amazon or your local bakery. Personally, I bought this one from Amazon and I was amazed by how well it works. And most importantly, it is reliable, consistent and needs very little maintenance!

Feeding your sourdough starter

The starter is a mix of fungi and yeasts that need regular feeding with flour and water to keep it alive, active and healthy. If you bake more than 3 times a week I have found it is best to feed your sourdough starter every day. If you bake weekly, its best to feed it once a week and keep it in the fridge. 

How do I go about feeding it? It depends on when I plan to bake my sourdough bread:

1. If I plan on baking the next day, I keep 20grams of starter (0.7 ounces) and add 40 grams (1.4oz) of whole wheat flour and 40 grams of water (1.4oz). I then let it sit on the counter overnight for it to grow and double in size.
2. If I plan on baking a few days later I just to a “maintenance feed”. I keep 10grams of starter (0.3oz) and add 20 grams (0.6oz) of whole wheat flour and 20 grams (0.6oz) of water. I do this daily when not baking. 

Preparing your sourdough bread dough

I must admit, preparing the bread dough was what I’ve found to be the most challenging and time consuming part of making sourdough bread. Most recipes that I’ve seen required spending multiple hours kneading, letting it rise, kneading again and so forth. So I’ve developed a couple of “cheats” to help me make my sourdough bread easily with as little effort as possible!

1. If you have a bread machine, use it to make your sourdough bread dough! Last year I bought a Panasonic SD-ZX2522 bread machine so I’ve been using it to prepare my dough without me needing to do any of the manual work. If you have one, my advice would be to put all the ingredients in the bread machine and use the sourdough menu to do all the kneading and proofing. For the Panasonic SD-ZX2522 its menu 29 and for the Panasonic SD-ZB2512 its menu 26. Then let it rest in the machine for 1 to 2 more hours until it has risen by a quarter (25%)! 
2. If you don’t have a bread machine use your stand mixer. Put all the ingredients in, put the dough hook on, set it to low and let it knead for 10-15 minutes until the dough has come together. Let the dough rest for 1 hour and repeat. Do this another 2 times until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover it with cling film and let it rise until it has risen by a quarter (25%).

TIP: Do the poke test. Bulk fermentation is done when you poke the dough and it springs back leaving all but a small dimple in the dough! Due to the high amount of water in this recipe you may find the dough becoming a bit sticky. This is intentional as it will give it an amazing open crust. If the dough becomes too sticky, let it rest for 15 minutes and try again.

Shaping and proofing your sourdough bread dough

This is the fun part! You can get creative and shape your dough in many different shapes to suit your taste! My personal favourite is making it into a boule, a round ball with a nice deep score in the middle. You can also shape it into a batard, which is an oblong shape, more akin to a traditional loaf.

Shaping plays a critical role in getting a decent rise and volume in your homemade sourdough bread. If you don’t shape the dough properly with enough tension it will flatten out and won’t rise as much when baking. So here are my tips to getting the perfect shape and oven spring!

1. Use a proofing basket (or a bowl)! Your dough will be a bit slack when coming off the mixing bowl so you need a container that will help it keep its shape when rising for the second time. If you are planning to bake often get yourself a 25 cm / 10 inch bread proofing basket (banneton) from Amazon. Alternatively, you can use a large bowl, lined with a thick weaved terry cloth, linen cloth or tea towel.
2. Make sure your cloth is dusted with plenty of flour! Dusting your cloth with flour will prevent your bread from sticking to it during the second rise. So make sure your cloth is dry and that you sprinkle plenty of flour on it and rub it in with your hands!
3. Shape your dough into a taught round ball (if making a boule). Tip over the dough on a floured work surface and sprinkle some flour on your hands. Pull one edge at a time and fold toward the center and across until you have a nicely taught ball. Using a dough scraper, flip the dough over and pull the dough across your work surface to give it some tension on top. Using your dough scraper, flip it over again and place it in the proofing basket, bottom side up. If your dough is still slack, pull in the edges again over to the center till it feels taught. 
4. If you’re making a battard (oval loaf), tip the dough on a floured work surface and sprinkle some flour on your hands. Pull the four edges of the dough to flatten the dough into a rectangle. Fold the left side of the dough to the centre (like making a paper aeroplane!). Fold the right side of the dough to the centre. Roll the dough by pulling the bottom of the dough towards yourself and rolling forwards. Flip it upside down and place in a floured proofing basket.
5. Proof your dough in the fridge overnight! Cover your proofing basket with cling film and place it in the fridge to rest. Depending on your schedule you can proof your sourdough overnight and up to 1 day. The longer the dough is in the fridge the more complex flavours will develop. Plus it gives you flexibility to bake your sourdough bread when you want it!

TIP: Be careful not to poke all the air out of the dough. Handle it gently. You want to keep as many of the air bubbles in as possible. Also if the dough starts to become too sticky, let it rest for 15 minutes and then try to shape it again.

Baking your easy homemade sourdough bread

Hands down, the best way to bake your homemade sourdough bread is using a dutch oven. A dutch oven mimics the steam baking process that is used in professional bakeries. It traps the dough’s steam during baking, keeping the top crust soft and allowing for the dough to rise and expand. This results in exceptional oven spring, rise and that delicious open crumb you’ve been craving for!

So how do you do it? All you need is a large steel or aluminum pot, 25/30 cm wide (~10 inches). Place your pot with its lid on in your oven and turn it on at 230C/450F fan. Let your oven warm up for about 1 hour.

When the oven is hot, remove your dutch oven from the oven, take your bread out of the fridge, tip it over and score it using a sharp knife, scissors or a razor, lengthwise, about 3 cm / 1 inch deep and at a shallow 30 degree angle. This will result in your homemade sourdough bread opening up beautifully when baked and developing that wonderfully tasting ear! Sprinkle some flour on top for that artisan look!

When done, put the lid back on and place it back in the hot oven for 20 minutes. During this first stage, the bread will cook while also steaming on the outside. This will result in the bread puffing up and developing its “ear”.

Finally, once the 20 minutes are up, take your dutch oven out of the oven, remove the lid and place back in again for another 15 to 20 minutes or until deep golden brown on the outside.

Your bread is now done! Remove it and tip it over on an airing rack and let it cool down for 30 minutes to 1 hour until it has reached room temperature.

How to store your homemade sourdough bread

The secret to keeping your sourdough bread fresh is to control its moisture. Therefore, never store your bread in an airtight container as this doesn’t let the moisture out and the bread will become soggy and mouldy. But also don’t store it on the counter as it will go dry and stale quickly.

The best way to keep your easy homemade sourdough bread from going stale is to keep it in a bread basket. This allows just enough moisture out while still retaining some on the inside. Alternatively wrap it in a paper bag or, if you’re in a pinch, with some parchment paper.

Love homemade bread? These delicious bread recipes are made for you!

If you love bread as much as I do, then this list of my favourite breads recipes is made for you! 

1. Greek rustic village bread
2. No knead bread
3. Bread machine sourdough bread
4. Pita breads, perfect for a souvlaki!
5. Extra soft Burger buns
6. Sesame bread rings
7. Olive bread
8. Raisin bread
9. Lagana bread (Greek flat bread)
10. Easy bread with self raising flour and beer

Easy Sourdough Bread recipe with Starter (prozimi)

(590 votes, average: 4.96 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 16 hours
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 16 hours 35 minutes
• Yield: 1 loaf
• Category: Breads
• Method: baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Who said homemade sourdough bread needs to be difficult? This is my super easy sourdough bread recipe with starter for you to make every day with minimal effort and superb taste!

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Ingredients

For a boule (round loaf) – makes a 1kg loaf / 2.2 pound loaf

• 80g sourdough starter (2.8oz)
• 530g strong white bread flour (18.7oz)
• 2 tsp salt
• 390g water (13.7 fl oz)
• 10 g butter (0.35oz) (Optional – for extra softness)

For a battard (oval shaped loaf) – makes a 800g / 1.7 pound loaf

• 65g sourdough starter (2.3oz)
• 430g strong white bread flour (15.1oz)
• 1 and 3/4 tsp salt
• 315g water (11.1 fl oz)
• 10 g butter (0.35oz) (Optional – for extra softness)

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Instructions

1. In your stand mixer bowl pour in your sourdough starter, the flour, the salt and if using it, the butter. Slowly pour in your water around the edges of the mixer bowl
2. Put the dough hook on your stand mixer and let it knead on low to medium speed for about 10-15 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover with cling film and let it rest for 1 hour.
3. Repeat the above – place your bowl back in the mixer and let it knead for another 10-15 minutes. Once done the dough should have formed a nice smooth and a little bit sticky ball. If the dough is too sticky, let it rest for another 10-15 minutes and knead once more.
4. Cover with cling film and let it rest for 3-4 hours or until it has risen by a quarter (25%) in size.
5. If you own a bread machine use that instead to prepare your dough and let it rise. Tip all the ingredients in and set it to the sourdough cycle or, if it doesn’t have one, the dough cycle. For the Panasonic SD-ZX2522 its menu 29 and for the Panasonic SD-ZB2512 its menu 26. Then let it rest in the machine for 1 to 2 more hours with the lid shut until it has risen by a quarter (25%)!
6. Line your proofing basket with a terry cloth or kitchen towel and sprinkle generously with flour. Spread the flour on the cloth using your hands.
7. Tip the dough out from the bowl on a floured work surface. Shape your dough into a taught round ball by pulling one edge at a time and folding toward the center. Flip the dough over and using a dough scraper pull the dough across your work surface to form a round, taught ball.
8. Flip the dough over and place it in the proofing basket, bottom side up. If your dough is still slack, pull in the edges over to the center until it its nice and taught.
9. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge overnight (or longer if you prefer – up to 1 day).
10. Preheat your oven to 230C/ 450F with your large metal pot (dutch oven) placed inside.
11. Once pre-heated, remove your dutch oven, take the dough out from the fridge and tip it over in the dutch oven. Score it lengthwise with a sharp razor at a 30 degree angle or cut using scissors.
12. Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes.
13. Once the 20 minutes are up, remove the lid from your dutch oven and let it bake for a further 15 minutes or until deeply browned
14. Remove your bread from the oven and place it on an airing rack to cool down.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 130kcal
• Sugar: 0.3g
• Sodium: 291.4mg
• Fat: 0.3g
• Saturated Fat: 0.1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 27.4g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 3.7g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: easy sourdough bread recipe with starter, homemade sourdough bread, greek sourdough bread, sourdough bread in dutch oven

The post Easy Sourdough Bread recipe with starter (prozimi) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

The tradition of  Greek Lazarakia bread (“Lazarus breads”)

Lazarakia (little Lazarus breads) are traditional Greek Easter breads eaten on Lazarus Saturday. They symbolise the resurrection of Lazarus and are shaped like a little man wrapped in a shroud, just like Lazarus is depicted. 

Lazarakia are made in Greece and Cyprus and are usually small, sweet breads with spices. Unlike Greek Easter bread (tsoureki) Lazarus breads are Lenten as they don’t contain any eggs or dairy products. 

Prepare the dough for the Lazarakia 

Lazarakia can be made with any kind of dough you like. For this recipe I used some spices, ground clove and cinnamon, to lift the flavour and added sugar. So the breads are on the sweet side and really aromatic from the spices.

If you can find some mahleb it would be great to add some too. It will give the Lazarakia breads a really unique aroma and flavour.

Tip: Ground clove is a powerful spice, so be careful not to add too much, as the dough will become bitter. 

Dry yeast is used as a leavening agent, but you could substitute with fresh yeast by just tripling the amount of the dry. Let the dough some time to rise until it doubles its size. Rising time varies greatly as it depends on the temperature of the environment. The warmer the environment the less time it will need to rise. 

If you have a stand mixer it will be really helpful to use it, but the dough for the Lazarakia could be also made by hand. It will just take some more effort  

How to shape Lazarakia breads

Traditionally Lazarakia are shaped to resemble a little man wrapped in a shroud, just like Lazarus is depicted. You could be creative and shape them as you like. This is the way I made them shown in the photos below. It’s really easy and you could get your little helpers shape them and have lots of fun.

To shape the Lazarakia breads you just need to pinch a bit of the dough and shape separately the hands and the body. Roll the dough into a string and then place under the body and fold in front so that the hands are crossed in front of the belly. Then place 2 whole cloves for the eyes and you are done!

It is also very common to stuff the Lazarus breads with nuts and dried fruits. So, if you like you could make a separate stuffing and stuff the Lazarakia with finely chopped walnuts and raisins. Or you could just add some raisins and roughly chopped walnuts in the dough at the end (before rising).

Other traditional Greek Easter recipes

If you are looking forward to make all the tradition Greek Easter recipes and celebrate with your loved ones, then these are my favourite ones for you to try: 

• Traditional Tsoureki recipe (Greek Easter Bread)
• Easy Tsoureki in a bread machine
• Koulourakia recipe (Greek Easter cookies)
• Cypriot Flaounes recipe 
• Dyed Easter eggs 
• Magiritsa (Greek Easter soup)
• Greek roast Lamb with potatoes

Lazarakia bread recipe (Greek Easter Lazarus breads)

(599 votes, average: 4.89 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 min (plus rise time)
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 20 lazarakia
• Category: Breads
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This Easter try out this aromatic little Lazarakia (Greek Lazarus breads) recipe and combine tradition with family cooking creating wonderful memories for your family!

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Ingredients

For the “prozymi” (Mixture 1)

• 350g lukewarm water (12.3 oz.)
• 8g dry yeast (0.3 oz.)
• 10g sugar (0.35 oz.)
• 70g all purpose flour (2.5 oz.)

For the dough

• 635g all purpose flour (22 oz.)
• 90g sugar (3.2 oz.)
• 1/2 tsp ground clove
• 2 tsps ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp mahleb powder (optional)
• 50g olive oil (1.8 oz.)
• 25g vegetable oil (0.9 oz.)
• 1 tbsp sugar dissolved in 50g/ 2 oz. water for coating
• 40 whole cloves for the eyes

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Instructions

1. To prepare this Lazarakia bread recipe start by adding all the ingredients from the “mixture 1” into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix to combine. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to allow the yeast to work.
2. In a separate bowl add the flour, spices, salt and sugar and mix with a spoon to combine. 
3. Add this mixture in the stand mixers bowl along the yeast mixture from step 1. Pour in the olive oil and vegetable oil. Use a dough hook to knead the dough until smooth and not sticky for about 10 minutes.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm environment for about 1 hour, until it doubles its size. 
5. Gently deflate the dough with your hands and separate the dough in 20 balls. Shape each ball like shown in the pictures. 
6. Dissolve the sugar in the water and brush the top of the breads. 
7. Bake in preheated oven at 160-170C for about 20 minutes until golden and cooked through. Enjoy!

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 little bread
• Calories: 184 kcal
• Sugar: 5.7g
• Sodium: 2mg
• Fat: 4g
• Saturated Fat: 1.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 33.2g
• Fiber: 1.2g
• Protein: 3.9g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: lazarakia bread, easter lazarus bread

The post Lazarakia bread recipe (Greek Easter Lazarus breads) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So I set myself a target to figure out a way to combine the two. The ease of use of the bread machine and the delicious flavour of a genuine sourdough bread. In this recipe I will walk you through step by step, how to prepare your sourdough starter, how to care for it, my tips and tricks for making the perfect bread machine sourdough, how to setup your bread machine and of course the recipe! This is truly the ultimate guide for a bread machine sourdough! So lets get started…

Why is making sourdough bread so time consuming?

Making sourdough bread is certainly time consuming. When I was researching the internet for my bread machine sourdough recipe, I quickly discovered that in order to get that artisan look and flavour you need time.

Time to wait for the dough to bulk ferment. Anything from 4 hours to upwards of 18 if your are doing a cold ferment. Time to attend to the dough and do 4-5 stretch and folds every 20-30 minutes to develop the dough’s gluten. Time to prepare your dutch oven, preheat your oven, shape and bake your dough.

That amount of time is what put me off from making my own sourdough bread. So I set off to develop a recipe that I can make daily using my bread maker and that tastes and feels as close as possible to that delicious artisan bread that I love.

This sourdough bread machine recipe has no yeast, unlike many that I have found online, so you will get that delicious true sourdough taste and texture!

Preparing your sourdough starter

You have two options to prepare and make your starter for your sourdough bread machine bread. Firstly, try to cultivate your own or, take a short cut and buy a portion of an already mature starter.

Making your own sourdough starter is not difficult, it just needs time. You need about one to two weeks of time and a little bit of luck. There are plenty of guides on the internet that will take you step by step through the process of preparing your own starter – check them out here and here.

For my sourdough adventures, I chose to buy a portion of an already mature starter. Admittedly I was a bit hesitant to experiment with making my own and I felt much more comfortable buying an already good, strong culture from a professional bakery. I found this one on amazon and I was amazed by how well it works.

It doubles in size reliably every 6 hours, smells just like the sourdough bread I buy from my local bakery and it is super low maintenance and very resilient. Perfect for a sourdough beginner!

Caring for your sourdough starter

An established sourdough is very easy to maintain. Depending on how often you bake you can opt for one of two approaches.

If you bake daily or every other day, keep your sourdough out of the fridge. Depending on how strong your sourdough starter is it may need “feeding” once or twice a day (every 12 hours). How can you tell? When the sourdough starter has doubled in size, has stopped growing and its top has flattened and is starting to recede, its time to feed it.

If you bake weekly it makes more sense to keep your sourdough starter in the fridge. Take it out the day before, feed it in the morning and in the evening then use it the next morning to make your bread. Feed it again and put it back in the fridge.

How much to feed your sourdough starter

How much should you feed your starter? The simplest approach is to use equal weights of starter, flour and water.

The night before you bake, keep 40 grams (1.4oz) of starter and then mix in a fresh 40 grams (1.4oz) of wholegrain rye flour and 40 grams (1.4oz) of water. In the morning you’ll have 120 grams (4.2oz) of starter ready to go! Measure out 80 grams (2.8oz) for the bread, 20 grams (0.7oz) to feed and discard the rest. Finally feed the 20 grams (0.7oz) of retained starter with 20 grams (0.7oz) of flour and 20 grams (0.7oz) of water.

If you’re not planning to bake the next day, just maintain 60 grams (2.1oz) of starter throughout the feedings. In both morning and evening feeds keep 20 grams (0.7oz) of starter and feed it with 20 grams (0.7oz) of flour and 20 grams (0.7oz) of water.

The above technique will minimise your flour waste while keeping your sourdough starter healthy and happy and ready to go for when you need it!

What is the best flour to feed my sourdough starter?

Without a doubt, wholegrain dark Rye flour. It contains plenty of nutrients for your yeast and bacteria to thrive and it gives your sourdough bread in bread machine starter a delicious tangy taste! Its nutrient rich nature also makes your starter very active which is exactly what you want for a soft and airy bread!

Sourdough bread in bread machine tips and tricks

After plenty of experimentation I’ve put together the following list of tips and tricks for you to make the perfect bread machine no yeast sourdough bread!

The amount of water you use will determine how soft and fluffy your bread machine sourdough becomes. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the hydration, the more airy and fluffy the crust. If you like your bread airy, use the 75% hydration recipe below. If you prefer your bread a little bit more solid use the 65% hydration recipe below. In addition, the higher the amount of water the crunchier your crust will become.

A little bit of fat in your bread will help extend its shelf life and keep the crumb softer for longer. On the downside, you won’t get as crackly a crust compared to a lean, no fat dough. I have found that ~2% of fat compared to the total flour weight gives a great balance between dough longevity, crumb softness while retaining a firm, crunchy crust that I like.

A dash of sugar or a sprinkle of honey results in a nicely browned crust. This is particularly important as most bread makers do not reach as high a temperature as your home oven resulting in bread that is not as brown as you may expect. You don’t need much, half a teaspoon is enough to give your dough a nice colour boost!

Before starting the bake programme, sprinkle a bit of flour on top and score it lengthwise in the middle. This gives your bread that delicious flour covered rustic look. But also more importantly, it gives space for your dough to rise evenly, preventing a lopsided bread!

Setting up your bread machine to make no yeast sourdough bread

What I love about making sourdough bread in bread machine is that it takes very little effort from my side and yet still results in a bread that takes amazing! In this section I will guide you through the process of setting up your bread machine and what programmes to use to achieve the perfect sourdough bread!

You will need to use three programmes in your bread machine for this recipe. The Mix, Rise and Bake programmes. As I own a Panasonic SD-ZX2522 and used to own a Panasonic SD-ZB2512KXE I’ll give you the programme numbers for them, but a quick check on your machine’s manual will help you find the right programme for yours!

The first step with my sourdough bread machine recipe is to mix the ingredients. In your bread machine bowl add your mixing paddle and measure out the starter. Then add the flour, the salt, sugar/honey, butter and finally the water. Pour in the water towards the edges of your bowl to make your paddle’s work a bit easier! After that, select the dough only setting and let it mix for about 20 minutes, or a bit longer, until all the ingredients are fully combined and the dough is starting to come off the walls of your machine. For the Panasonic SD-ZX2522, use menu 29 which does 2 short kneading cycles with a short rest interval in the middle followed by a rest period. For the Panasonic SD-ZB2512, use menu 26.

The second step is to let your bread machine sourdough bread rest until it has increased by 50% in size. If your bread machine has a proofing setting use it as it will keep the dough temperature at the ideal point for proofing. For the Panasonic SD-ZX2522 use menu 30 and stop it when the dough has risen by 50% of its size. For the Panasonic SD-ZB2512, use menu 27. If your bread machine doesn’t have a proofing menu, don’t worry, leave the lid shut and let it rest until the dough has risen. If you want your bread to become a bit more acidic, don’t use the proofing setting and just let it sit in the bread machine.

The third step is to bake your sourdough bread! As most bread machines don’t heat up to the same level as a home oven, you will need to bake your bread for slightly longer. I have found that approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes baking will give you a golden brown crust and good brunch! For the Panasonic SD-ZX2522 and the Panasonic SD-ZB2512 use menu 18 and set the timer for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remember, don’t open your lid while your bread is baking and especially during the first 45 minutes as you’ll loose a lot of heat and the top of your bread won’t get browned.

That is it! Three simple steps will get you the most trouble free and yet delicious sourdough bread you’ve ever made!

If you’re a bread fan try out my delicious Greek Rustic “Village” Bread, my amazing no knead bread and my no yeast, self raising flour beer bread!

Bread machine sourdough bread recipe

(784 votes, average: 4.74 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 4 hours
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 1 loaf
• Category: sourdough bread, bread
• Method: baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

This is my go-to Bread machine sourdough bread recipe. This is a true sourdough bread, without yeast that tastes and feels just like an artisan loaf! It combines the ease of use of the bread machine and the delicious flavour of a genuine sourdough bread while taking much less effort and time to prepare!

Just select whether you want a light and fluffy or a bit more substantial bread from my two variations below! The pictures are from the lighter variation (75% hydration).

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Ingredients

65% Hydration Dough – The “substantial” dough

• 80g sourdough starter (2.1oz)
• 460g strong white bread flour (16.2oz)
• 15g unsalted butter (0.5oz)
• 0.5 tsp sugar or a drizzle of honey
• 1.75 tsp salt
• 285ml water (9.6 fl oz)

75% Hydration Dough – The “lighter” dough

• 80g sourdough starter (2.1oz)
• 460g strong white bread flour (16.2oz)
• 15g unsalted butter (0.5oz)
• 0.5 tsp sugar or a drizzle of honey
• 1.75 tsp salt
• 335g water (11.3 fl oz)

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Instructions

1. In your bread machine basket, pour in your sourdough starter then the flour
2. Add in the sugar/honey, salt and the butter
3. Pour in your water around the edges of the baking basket
4. Set your bread machine to the kneading cycle for 30 minutes or if it has a sourdough dough cycle use that. For the Panasonic SD-ZX2522 use menu 29. For the Panasonic SD-ZB2512 use menu 26.
5. Once your sourdough bread has finished kneading, let your dough rest and proof for 3-4 hours or until it has risen by about 50% of its original size. For the Panasonic SD-ZX2522, use menu 30 for about 2 hours and 30 minutes to accelerate the proofing or let it rest with the machine switched off for about 4 hours for a more sour flavour. For the Panasonic SD-ZB2512KXE use menu 27 for the same amount of time (2h 30mins). Note that proofing time will depend on how active your sourdough starter is so adjust accordingly until your bread has risen the right amount.
6. Once proofed, sprinkle some flour on top and score lengthwise with a sharp knife or a blade. Pop any large bubbles that may have appeared on the surface.
7. Set your bread machine to the bake programme and set its timer for 1 hour and 15 minutes. For the Panasonic SD-ZX2522 and the Panasonic SD-ZB2512, use menu 18.
8. Once done, remove the basket and tip the bread over to an airing rack. Let it cool down for about an hour before cutting it.
9. If you want to prepare your bread overnight and own a Panasonic bread machine use menu 10 for the Panasonic SD-ZB2512 and menu 11 for the Panasonic SD-ZX2522. The loaf will be slightly denser so I recommend going with the 75% Hydration – Lighter dough recipe above.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 122kcal
• Sugar: 0.3g
• Sodium: 257.8mg
• Fat: 1.4g
• Saturated Fat: 0.7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 23.6g
• Fiber: 0.8g
• Protein: 3.2g
• Cholesterol: 2.9mg

Keywords: sourdough bread, bread, bread machine sourdough

The post Bread machine sourdough bread recipe appeared first on My Greek Dish.

For some, making bread is not just a process, but rather something really special. You will love this recipe’s little touches all while waiting patiently for a perfectly proven dough.

And if you’re a novice, I’m sure you’ve tried making bread before and ended up with a mess in your kitchen and nothing but disappointment. Don’t worry though, this super easy Greek bread recipe will never fail you!

Which are the most popular types of Greek breads?

Bread is a staple in the Greek cuisine. One can find lots of different types of breads. The most popular Greek breads are “village” bread (rustic bread), pita bread, raisin bread, Greek sesame bread rings and Lagana. Each one is prepared and shaped in a different way and has each own unique texture and taste.

What is Greek village (country) bread?

Village or country bread (Horiatiko psomi) is a type of Greek bread one can find in every Greek bakery. It originates from Greek villages and has a unique flavor and texture. Traditionally it is a denser type of bread that resembles the taste of sourdough bread. It’s main characteristic is that Greek village bread is baked in outdoors wood fired ovens.

The secrets of a perfectly baked Greek bread – A simple homely version

This is an easy simple homely version of the traditional Greek village bread recipe that calls for fresh yeast and a long time proving (overnight). A combination that will give a unique yeast-y taste and texture that resembles sourdough bread.

When preparing this Greek bread recipe it is best to use a “strong” flour known as bread flour which is high in protein. This will help the bread hold it’s shape better and give more texture.

An extra tip is to spread out some semolina on the working surface when kneading the finished dough. Semolina gives homemade bread that extra crisp, that I personally love.

Note: If you don’t have any fresh yeast lying around, you could also use instant yeast (1/3 of the amount of fresh yeast).

How to bake Village bread in an oven?

To bake my Greek bread it’s best to use a casserole dish with a lid or a Dutch oven. Preheat the oven at high temperature (200-210C/ 400F). Bake the bread for 45 minutes with the lid on and another 20 minutes without the lid, until its crusty and golden brown.

This baking technique helps the bread keep its moisture inside. It also helps to form that amazing crust resembling the traditional baking in wood baking ovens.

Other types of breads you may like:

• Self raising flour bread without yeast
• Koulouria thessalonikis 
• Raisin bread 
• Lagana bread
• Greek pita bread
• Bread machine sourdough bread
• No knead bread

Greek Bread recipe (Village bread/ Horiatiko Psomi)

(560 votes, average: 4.70 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 65 min
• Total Time: 85 min
• Yield: 2 round loafs (approx. 650g each)/ 14 medium slices
• Category: Breads
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

A super easy Greek village bread recipe (Horiatiko psomi) that will never fail you! All the secrets for a perfectly baked bread; a homely version for all the bread lovers.

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Ingredients

• 1 kg bread flour (35oz.)
• 630ml lukewarm water (21 oz.)
• 25g fresh yeast (0.8 oz.)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp salt
• thin semolina

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Instructions

1. To prepare this easy Greek bread recipe, start by adding in a large bowl the water, yeast and sugar. Use a fork to completely dissolve the yeast in the water. Set aside for about  5 -10 minutes to activate the yeast. Note: if you don’t have fresh yeast substitute for dried – just use one third of the quantity stated.
2. Add half the flour a little bit at time whilst mixing with a spoon. Add the olive oil and salt and the rest of the flour and mix with a spoon until all the flour has been absorbed. At this point the dough should be sticky on your hand.
3. Knead the dough a little bit with your hands until it’s elastic and form into a ball. Place the dough inside a lightly oiled large bowl and cover with cling film.
4. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 10-12 hours (or overnight).
5. Deflate the dough. Sprinkle semolina on a large working surface and transfer the dough on the surface. Using a sharp knife divide the dough in 2 equal pieces. (This Greek Bread recipe makes 2 loafs of bread).
6. Knead each piece of the dough with your hands just enough to have a nice and smooth dough that doesn’t stick too much on your hands (for about 3 minutes). Sprinkle the dough with semolina (2-3 tbsps) when kneading the dough.
7. Form 2 round loafs and place inside a casserole dish or clay pot with a lid. Score the top of each loaf using a sharp knife. Place the lid on the casserole dish.
8. Preheat the oven at 250C/ 480F. Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on and another 15 minutes or so with the lid removed, until nicely coloured and crusty.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice of bread
• Calories: 283kcal
• Sugar: 0.5g
• Sodium: 749.2mg
• Fat: 3.2g
• Saturated Fat: 0.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 53.4g
• Fiber: 1.9g
• Protein: 9g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: Greek bread recipe, Greek village bread, horiatiko psomi

The post Greek Bread recipe (Village bread/ Horiatiko Psomi) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

Over the years I’ve tried many homemade pizza dough recipes but none of them managed to give me that delicious soft crust and thin and crusty base. Most turned out to be either totally flat, tasting like cardboard or raise uncontrollably, becoming more of a bread than a pizza.

So after plenty of experimenting, I’ve put together this ultimate guide for the perfect easy pizza dough recipe with all my secret tips explained in detail. Try it and you will enjoy the best home made pizza ever!

What makes a good homemade pizza dough? Start with the flour!

There are a few tricks that I’ve found to making the perfect pizza dough. The first one is to match the flour strength to the texture you would like your pizza to have.

If you want a pizza that has an extra crispy base and strong texture use strong bread flour. The added protein in the that type of flour will firm up the dough and give your pizza that extra strength. On the other hand, you prefer your pizza to have a slightly softer edge, use plain flour, which has less gluten and will make the dough more tender.

Secondly, the best ingredient to use for pizza dough is the right type flour. What I’ve seen from my trips to Italy is that traditional pizzerias always use finely milled flour.

Their pizza flour, also known as 00-tipo, has a powder like consistency that sits somewhere in between a finely ground semolina and icing sugar. This traditional Italian Pizza flour is both soft in texture and with high protein and gives the dough that distinctive Italian texture. You can get a large bag from your local Italian deli, supermarket or just have it delivered from Amazon.

My personal favourite is a the Caputo 00 Tipo red flour, and with amazon free shipping on a large 25kg bag, I couldn’t be happier!

If you want your dough to be slightly softer, I would strongly recommend the Caputo 00 Tipo Blue flour, which has slightly lower protein content and more elastic gluten.

If you don’t have any at hand, don’t worry. Substitute it with plain bread flour and take it through a sieve to aerate it. It may take a little longer to knead and prove but it will work just fine if you’re in a pinch.

Semolina – the miracle ingredient for the perfect dough recipe!

Finely ground semolina is arguably the biggest secret ingredient when making homemade pizza dough. What is semolina? It is made from durum wheat, the same type of wheat used to make pasta.

Semolina is high in protein and has a much tougher texture than flour, feeling almost gritty to the touch. When you use it in a pizza dough, adds a wonderful chew to the crust as well as extra flavour.

Also I love spreading out semolina to my kitchen counter when stretching the finished dough ball. This gives my homemade pizza dough that little extra crisp on the base and edges that my kids love.

Should you use Olive Oil in your easy pizza dough?

One of the most debated topics for pizza aficionados is whether to use olive oil in the dough or not.

Traditionally in Italy you will almost never find pizza dough with olive oil added to it. But what most hardcore no olive oil fans won’t tell you is that a traditionally made pizza is baked in a wood fired oven at over 370C/700F and that the dough is left to prove overnight.

But unless you have a pizza oven at home you will need olive oil in your dough. That is because your pizza dough will need some help to compensate for the lower cooking temperatures. That is where the olive oil comes into play. Olive oil will prevent your sauce from sagging your pizza dough, making it crispier and easier to bake at the conventional oven temperatures.

How to make pizza dough at home the easy way. Hint: use your bread maker or stand mixer.

The biggest timesaver when making an easy pizza dough is to use a bread maker or a stand mixer. Most bread makers are also excellent pizza dough makers as they have a big enough bowl to hold enough dough for 3-4 people, do all the kneading for you, but also control the proofing time and proofing environment.

All you have to do is throw the recipe ingredients in the bread machine, set it to the pizza dough setting and let it finish its cycle. After about 45 minutes to an hour your dough will be ready to use and you will have literally put no effort in making it. This is literally the easiest pizza dough you can ever make!

A great alternative to a bread maker for an easy pizza dough, is to use a stand mixer. It will do all the stretching and kneading for you taking away the strain from preparing a strong dough. It will also save you time and energy in the process. You only need to keep an eye on it for the dough to proof. In my pizza dough recipe below I’ve given you steps for both a bread maker and a stand mixer.

How to cook pizza in an oven?

The last part to making the perfect pizza dough is cooking it. Unless you have a wood fired oven, there are two tricks to make the perfect pizza at home.

Firstly, turn your oven on its maximum temperature a good 30 minutes in advance of you cooking your pizza. I turn my oven on right before I let my pizza dough prove. This will let your oven soak the heat in and raise its temperature as high as possible.

Secondly invest in a pizza stone or a pizza crisper tray. If you use a pizza stone place it in the oven from the moment you turn it on. This will allow your stone to soak the heat in and assist in your pizza cooking evenly underneath.

If you use a pizza crisper tray then keep it outside the oven and use it to assemble your pizza on. You will recognise the pizza crisper tray from its round shape, metal construction and holes on the underside. These holes are what make all the difference, as they let air and heat circulate underneath your pizza base, cooking it to perfection.

Can pizza dough be frozen?

Pizza dough is very versatile and can be easily frozen. There are three things that you need to do to freeze your pizza dough successfully while saving time when it comes to using it again.

The first one is to let it fully rise before freezing it. Freezing your pizza dough does not kill off the yeast so you could freeze it before it had a chance to rise. But it is a great timesaver to freeze it after it has risen. Remember, it will take time to defrost the dough and the least you want is to wait even longer for the yeast to warm up and start acting again!

The second trick is to divide the dough into portions, flatten them out and use a ziplock bag to store them in. If you leave your pizza dough in a big ball it will take a lot longer to defrost so planning a little bit ahead will save you time when you come to use it.

To defrost your pizza dough just take it out from the freezer and leave it in the zip lock bag on the counter for about 1 to 2 hours till it is fully thawed and starts expanding.

I hope you find as much pleasure in preparing my pizza dough as I have! Let me know in the comments below what you thought of it!

Looking for some topping inspiration? Take a look at my feta cheese pizza recipe! Pizza lover? Then don’t forget to take a look at this delicious boat shaped pizza brought by the Greeks who lived by the Black Sea almost 100 years ago!

Easy Homemade Pizza Dough for Beginners

(752 votes, average: 4.88 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 55 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 75 minutes
• Yield: 2 pizzas
• Category: Mains
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Italian

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Description

A super easy pizza dough recipe that rivals even the best Italian restaurants! After plenty of experimenting I have put together this super simple pizza dough recipe for you to enjoy.

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Ingredients

• 3 tsp yeast
• 330g lukewarm water (10.5 oz)
• 2.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tsp sugar
• 2.5 tsp table salt
• 450g strong bread flour or 00-tipo pizza flour (14 oz)
• 50g fine semolina (3.5 oz)

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to its maximum temperature or 260C/500F on the fan setting.  Place your pizza stone in the oven, if you have one.
2. In a bowl mix the lukewarm water and the sugar using a fork or a whisk. Add the yeast and stir till its fully dissolved. Let it rest for about 10 minutes or until it just starts to froth.
3. In your bread maker bowl or your stand mixer bowl add the flour, the semolina and the salt. Stir with a fresh spoon till the ingredients are combined.
4. Add the olive oil and the yeast, water and sugar mixture in the mixer bowl or bread maker bowl.
5. If you are using a bread maker, set it to the pizza programme. It should last for 45 minutes and have kneaded the dough twice and prooved it. The pizza dough should be ready to use once the programme is done.
6. If you are using a stand mixer, install your dough hook and turn it on at slow speed till the ingredients combine. Then turn up the speed to about a third and let it knead the dough for 5 minutes. If the dough is too firm add two tablespoons of water. Continue kneading for another 10 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky and have separated from the bowl.
7. Remove the dough from the hook and let it proof in the stand mixer for 15 minutes.
8. Reinstall the hook and knead it for a further 10 minutes on 1/3 speed. Once done remove the dough from the hook, shape it in large ball and cover it with a splash of olive oil. Place it back in the bowl and cover it with cling film. Let the dough proove for another 20 minutes. The dough should have proved by about 1/3 of its size.
9. Remove the dough from the bowl or your bread maker.
10. Shape it into two round balls with the palm of your hands. Sprinkle some semolina on your kitchen counter and push the dough in the centre with your palm. Spread it out using your palm, lifting the dough from the counter and flipping it over every other time. Take care to leave a thicker crust on the outside of your pizza to get that wonderfully raised crust when baking.
11. If you are using a pizza crisper tray place the dough on it and season with your favourite tomato sauce and toppings. If you’re using a pizza stone place the dough on some parchment paper and season with your sauce and toppings. Take the pizza stone out from the oven and put the edge of your pizza on it, gently unrolling the parchment paper underneath till its fully on the stone.
12. Place in the oven and let it cook for approximately 20 minutes or till the edges have browned.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/2 pizza
• Calories: 448 kcal
• Sugar: 1.5g
• Sodium: 935.6mg
• Fat: 9.6g
• Saturated Fat: 1.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7.5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 77.9g
• Fiber: 3.6g
• Protein: 11.8g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: Italian pizza, pizza dough, homemade pizza dough, easy pizza dough

The post Easy Homemade Pizza Dough for Beginners appeared first on My Greek Dish.