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Have you ever tasted Lagana - the traditional Greek flatbread that takes center stage on Clean Monday? This sesame-studded bread is soft, lightly crispy at the edges, and irresistibly fragrant. Whether you're embracing Lent, exploring Greek Orthodox traditions, or simply craving a wholesome, olive oil bread, this easy Lagana bread recipe brings a slice of Greece to your table.

Lagana bread on a piece of parchment paper.

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📋 Lagana Ingredients
🔪 How to make Lagana
👨‍🍳 Expert Tips
🎥Recipe Video
📖 Recipe

Lagana (pronounced la-GAH-na but with a soft "g") is more than just bread. Baked only once a year on Kathari Deftera (Clean Monday), this Greek sesame flatbread marks the beginning of great Lent in the Greek Orthodox tradition. It's a day of fasting, kite-flying, and feasting on vegan-friendly foods. And Lagana is the centerpiece of the table.

This easy lagana recipe comes together in a few simple steps and in less than 2.5 hours, you'll be sinking your teeth into a warm, sesame-studded flatbread.

If you love to bake please check my rest bread recipes and make sure not to miss this Greek ceremonial bread recipe (Artos)-which is also known as monasteri bread, this easy homemade pita bread, and the distant cousin of Lagana, the Italian focaccia bread.

📋 Lagana Ingredients

For the traditional Lagana recipe you'll need the following simple ingredients:

Bread flour: It's flour with high protein content, usually 12.5-13% protein. In Greece it's known as alevri skliro (hard flour). If you can't find bread flour, use all purpose flour.

Vinegar: usually white wine vinegar is used, but you can also use other types such as apple cider vinegar.

Tahini: A paste made from ground sesame seeds.

Active dry yeast: You can also use fresh yeast. To adjust the quantity keep in mind that 1 Tablespoon (9 grams) of dry yeast equals to 25 grams of fresh yeast. If using instant yeast, you may need slightly less, as it's more concentrated than active dry yeast

Black cumin: Also known as Nigella seeds or black seeds. In Greece it's sometimes called mavrosousamo which means black sesame, though it's not black sesame.

Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is suggested.

Sesame seeds: Can be whole or hulled sesame seeds.

🥣 Variations

With whole wheat flour. You can replace the bread flour with whole wheat flour to make Lagana healthier.

With other toppings: Sesame seeds are the traditional topping for this Greek flatbread. However, modern variations include other toppings (which should be suitable for Lent) such as:

olives
onion
dried tomatoes
chopped bell pepper
rosemary

🔪 How to make Lagana

Follow this easy step-by-step guide for how to make the best Greek flatbread:

1. Proof the Yeast: In a large bowl, mix the yeast, sugar, a bit of flour and water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.

2. Make the Dough: To the yeast mixture add the olive oil, the tahini, the vinegar, the salt and the rest of the flour. Mix until a sticky dough forms.

3. Let It Rise: Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, place it in a warm spot and let the dough rise until tripled in size.

4. Shape the Lagana: Briefly knead the dough and flatten it with your hands giving it an oval or rectangular shape.Transfer the Lagana to a large baking tray.

5. Add the sesame topping: Transfer the sesame seeds, the black sesame, the sugar and the water to a small bowl. Mix well and sprinkle/spread this mixture over the surface of the Lagana bread.

6. Second rise: Let the Lagana rest for 20-30 minutes and rise slightly.

7. Bake: With your fingertips, create dimples across the surface (this gives it its signature look) and bake until golden.

The baked Lagana bread on a baking sheet.

👨‍🍳 Expert Tips

✤ Don't kill the yeast! Use lukewarm water and test the temperature by dipping your fingers into the water. If it feels comfortably warm and not very hot, you're good to go.

✤ A closed oven with just the light turned on is a perfect warm place for the dough to rise.

✤ If your dough feels sticky while kneading or spreading, add a little more flour. But don't overdo it-you want the dough to stay soft.

✤ Don't skip the dimples! They're not just decorative-they help the bread bake evenly and get the right texture.

✤ For an extra flavor boost, toast the sesame seeds lightly before sprinkling them on the bread.

✤ A bit of sugar helps the sesame seeds to stick on the surface of the bread.

✏️ A bit of history:

Lagana's origins can be traced back to ancient Greece, where flatbreads were a staple food. The word "Lagana" itself comes from the ancient Greek word "laganon," (λάγανον - external link) which referred to a flat bread with flour and olive oil.

In ancient times, flatbreads like Lagana were often baked on hot stones or in communal ovens, making them a shared food that brought communities together.

What do Greek people eat on Clean Monday?

Here is a list with the most common Lenten foods people eat on Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera). Please leave me a comment if you believe I've forgotten something!

🍳 More Greek Bread Recipes

If you tried this easy Lagana recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!