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The Weekend Neos Kosmos : 18 October 2014
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20 SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014 Lagana bread Every year for Clean Monday, as a way to kick off Lent, there is a special Greek bread that is made. It's special because it's only made once a year. The bread is called lagana (λαγάνα) and is very simple to make. It closely resembles focaccia bread. Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups bread flour, plus extra for kneading 2 teaspoons yeast 1 cup warm water 1/4 cup Greek olive oil, plus extra for coating 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt sesame seeds for topping Method: 1. In a large bowl add warm water, yeast, and sugar. 2. Mix contents well and let sit for five minutes to allow yeast to activate. 3. Add flour, olive oil, and salt, mix thoroughly. If the dough mixture is too wet or dry, add more flour or water accordingly. 4. Form dough and knead on floured surface for 5-7 minutes. 5. Coat bowl with olive oil, and place dough ball in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for at least 90 minutes, or until double in size. 6. Add some flour to a work surface, remove dough and knead for a few minutes. Gently stretch dough out to make rectangle. 7. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press fingertips down all over dough to create small pockets. 8. Cover with paper towel and let rise again for 30 minutes. Brush top of lagana with olive oil and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. 9. Place in preheated oven at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Remove and enjoy! There is nothing better than the aroma of homemade baking bread wafting from the oven. It's time to learn how to make your own Bread has always played an important part in the Greek diet. Psomi has been the main staple, especially in frugal times, when the Greeks would survive on a thick chunk of it with either cheese and a few vegetables or a bean soup and then dip the bread in it. Today, a laid table is not complete without a basket brimming with fresh, crusty bread. The Greeks will go out of their way to buy a good fresh loaf, with everyone having their favourite bakeries and a good relationship with their baker. They still prefer to buy a fresh one daily. Packaged sliced bread has still not made an impact in Greece. Occasionally people will buy one to use in toasted sandwiches, otherwise it is still hard to find good sliced bread to use in fresh sandwiches. It is just not a snack that has been adopted in Greece. There are many different types of bread, as well as special Greek psomi recipes that are only made for certain times of the year such as christopsomo - Greek Christmas bread, vasilopita - Greek New Year's bread, lagana - Clean Monday bread, tsoureki - Greek Easter bread, and many more. Before households had their own ovens, Greek housewives would make up several batches of their own recipe at home, maybe once or twice a week, put the ready to be baked dough into a wooden carrying board (that normally had sections for each loaf), and carry it off to the local baker to be baked in his oven. Hours later the women would return to collect their baked loaves. The baker's oven became the focal point of village life, even acting as a communal kitchen, as the women brought in not only their breads to be baked, but also their individual casseroles to enjoy long, slow cooking in the embers of the bread oven on the days baking was done. In some villages today, you will find the bakers will still take in food to be cooked in the old traditional way. Even today, when life is easier, bread still has an almost religious significance in parts of Greece. Do not be put off by the idea of how to make your own bread. There is nothing better than the aroma of homemade baking bread wafting from the oven and it is so much tastier than the shop-bought version. You also know there will be no preservatives and other chemicals when you make your own. Healthier and tastier - what more could you ask for. Feta and oregano bread Ingredients: 2 cups bread flour (extra for kneading surface) 2 cups feta, crumbled 1 teaspoon yeast dash of garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for coating 1 tablespoon oregano 3/4 cup warm water Method: 1. If needed, activate yeast in separate bowl. 2. In a large bowl, add flour, yeast, garlic powder, salt, honey, olive oil, oregano, and water. Mix well. 3. Knead dough on floured surface until dough becomes elastic - about 10 minutes. If too wet, add flour accordingly.* 4. Coat dough ball and bowl with olive oil and place dough in bowl. Cover and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour. 5. After rising time, place dough on floured surface and flatten. Add feta cheese to centre, and begin kneading to incorporate feta into dough. Mix well. 6. Form dough into loaf, and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with olive oil. 7. Place in pre-heated oven at 200°C for 25-30 min until golden brown. Remove and set on rack to cool. 8. Cut into slices and serve. * Note: instead of kneading, you can place all ingredients in bowl and use your mixer and dough hook. Bread baking: the Greek way
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