Greek Bread Recipes

GREEK BREAD RECIPE (VILLAGE BREAD/ HORIATIKO PSOMI)

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Let the dough rise at room temperature for 10-12 hours (or overnight).
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

HORIATIKO PSOMI: GREEK COUNTRY BREAD

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup lukewarm water .
• Slowly add 1/2 cup of flour and mix until all lumps of flour have dissolved to form a thick mixture. Allow it to rise about 15 to 20 minutes.​ If using a sourdough starter, make a sponge with 1/2 pound of starter, 1/2 cup of lukewarm water, and 1/2 cup of flour, allowing it to rise for 2 hours.
• Sift the remaining flour with the salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center, and add the milk, oil, honey, yeast mixture or sourdough starter, and 2 cups of lukewarm water.
• Pulling in the flour slowly, mix with your hands until you have a cohesive mass. If more water is needed, add in small amounts from the remaining 1/2 cup.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and continue kneading until the dough is nice and smooth and no longer sticks to your hands.
• Place the dough in a lightly oiled mixing bowl and roll until all sides are greased. Cover the bowl with 3 dishtowels: first one dry, one dampened with warm water on top, and lastly one dry as well. Place in a warm place and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Punch down and knead the dough for 5 to 6 minutes on a floured surface. Divide the dough into 3 to 4 balls, and form into your preferred shape.
• Place the loaves several inches apart on top of an ungreased cookie sheet and cover with the 3 dishtowels as before-dry, damp, dry. Keep the loaves in a warm place and allow proving for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 F/220 C.​ Score the tops of the loaves in 3 or 4 places. Bake on the rack just below the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes until browned. When ready, if tapped on the bottom, the bread should sound hollow.
• Remove from oven and cool on racks. Serve warm.
• Enjoy.

PSOMI - GREEK BREAD

Steps:

• Sift flour into a mixing bowl and place into a low oven to warm.
• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water, then stir in remaining water, salt, and sugar.
• Remove flour from oven; take 2 cups of flour from the bowl and set aside.
• Make a well in the remaining flour and pour in the liquid; stir in a little of the flour until the liquid gets thick, then cover the bowl and leave in a warm place until the mixture is frothy, about 10 minutes.
• Stir the rest of the flour into the liquid, and add the butter/oil gradually, beating with a wooden spoon or mixing with your hands until smooth (about 10 minutes), or alternatively, use a dough hook/mixer for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle a little flour onto a board, and turn the dough out; gradually mix in some of the flour you had set aside earlier.
• Only knead in enough to keep the dough from sticking; dough is ready when it is satiny, and the surface is slightly wrinkled; shape into a ball.
• Oil the dough, and place in bowl, making sure the top side is oiled completely; cover bowl with plastic and allow to rise in a warm place for 1-1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
• Punch down and make into 2 pieces; turn onto floured surface, and form each into a torpedo-shape.
• Grease baking sheet and sprinkle with semolina; place the dough well apart on the sheet and cut 4 diagonal slashes across the dough; cover with a cloth and allow to proof in a warm place until doubled again, about an hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place a dish of boiling water on the bottom of the oven; spray bread lightly with a mister and bake in preheated oven for approx 35-40 minutes; after first 15 minutes, mist again with water, then again 10 minutes later.
• Cool on a rack when done.

GREEK EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Pour 1/3 cup water that is hot to the touch (about 110 degrees F) into the bowl of a stand mixer. Gently whisk in the yeast, 1 tablespoon of the flour and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Cover with a towel and set aside until bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the temperature of the room).
• Meanwhile, heat the milk in small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles start to form around the edges, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, remaining sugar and salt. Set aside to cool, about 5 minutes.
• Using the paddle attachment, stir the milk mixture into the yeast mixture. Stir in the 2 beaten eggs. Gradually mix in the remaining flour, fennel seed and almond extract, and beat until a soft dough forms. Increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball, about 5 minutes (the dough will be sticky).
• Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is as smooth as a baby's bottom, about 5 minutes.
• Put in a lightly buttered bowl, cover and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Place the dough on the surface and cut into three equal parts. Gently roll out each piece into a 16-inch-long rope. Line a wide-lipped cookie sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the ropes to the prepared sheet. Press the ropes together at one end and braid loosely. Arrange the braid in a circle. Press the ends of the dough together. Gently stretch the circle to make it 10 inches across and the hole in the middle 3 1/2 inches across. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Rub the eggs with a little vegetable oil, and then buff with a paper towel. Gently press the eggs into the dough, evenly spaced. Cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the bread with the remaining beaten egg. Bake until the loaf is dark golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 45 minutes. Cool about 30 minutes before slicing.

GREEK EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Mix 2 cups flour and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Stir milk, butter, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan; heat and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture is smooth and the temperature is between 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) to 100 degrees F (37 degrees C).
• Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, add eggs, and beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes more. Add 1 cup flour and 3 tablespoons orange juice to the mixture; mix on high for 3 minutes more.
• Fit the mixer with a dough hook. Add remaining flour to the mixture; beat with dough hook until the flour is completely incorporated.
• Grease a glass bowl. Put dough into the bowl. Let dough rise until doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Punch dough down. Divide the dough into two halves. Split each half into three even pieces, roll each piece into a cylinder, and braid into loaves. Put loaves onto a baking sheet. Let rise, about 1 hour.
• Bake in preheated oven until the middle is baked, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Stir confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon orange juice together in a bowl; brush onto the tops of the loaves.

TSOUREKI (GREEK EASTER SWEET BREAD)

Steps:

• Warm two cups of milk and place in a large bowl. Add the yeast, one cup of the flour, and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Cover and proof for one hour.
• In a large bowl, combine seven cups of flour, the ground almonds, salt, remaining sugar, orange rind, aniseed or mahlepi and masticha (if using). Make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter and eggs. Work from the center outwards, bringing flour into the well, stirring the mixture until a dough begins to form.
• Dust a worksurface with a little of the remaining flour and knead, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough is smooth and doesn't stick to your hands, about 12 minutes.
• Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a cloth, and set aside in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled in bulk, about two hours. Punch down dough.
• Divide into nine small balls and roll each into strips 10-12 inches long, and about 2 inches in diameter. Lay three strips side by side, pinching together at one end, and braid. Pinch together at the other end to hold the loaf intact.
• Optional: At this point you can press a red-dyed egg between the strips of the braid or just leave the braided loaf plain.
• Repeat the procedure to make the second and third loaves.
• Place the breads on parchment-lined baking sheets, covered, and let rise for two hours, or until doubled in bulk. While the braids are rising, preheat oven to 340F (170°C), placing rack in middle rack of oven.
• Beat together the egg yolk and remaining milk. Brush over tsoureki loaves and sprinkle with slivered almonds.
• Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. I check my breads after about 15 minutes as they do tend to colour quickly and drape them with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning. The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove and cool on racks.
• *The special red dye used by Greeks to dye Easter eggs, as well as the spices Mahlepi (Mahleb) and Masticha can be found at all good ethnic grocery stores and in the Penzeys Catalague.

GREEK PITA BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the yeast and sugar in a small bowl, add 1/2 cup of the warm water and let it stand for 10 minutes to proof and ferment it.
• Dissolve the salt in the remaining warm water.
• Put the flour in a large mixing bowl, making a well in the middle and put the dissolved yeast and salt water into it.
• With your hands, blend it into a dough.
• You may need a bit more or less water depending on your flour.
• Knead the dough in the bowl with your fists for 10-15 minutes or until it is smooth.
• Pour the oil over the dough and knead it again until the oil is absorbed.
• Cover the dough in the bowl with a towel and set it in a draft free area to rise to double it's bulk (1-2 hours), then punch it down and knead it again for a few minutes.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Cut pieces of dough, egg size or larger, depending on the size of the pita desired, shape them into balls with your hands and roll them out over a lightly floured board or pastry cloth to 1/4 inch thickness.
• Set 2 or 3 pites on a lightly oiled cookies sheet and bake them on the lower rack 2 to 3 minutes each side.
• Pitas should be white and soft.
• Wrap the baked pitas in a clean towel until they are cool, then store them in plastic bags to prevent them from drying out.
• When you are ready to use them, heat a bit of oil in a shallow skillet and fry them a minute or so on each side, or until golden brown.
• Use them immediately, because they get hard when they dry out.

TSOUREKI (GREEK EASTER BREAD)

Steps:

• Combine milk, sugar, and butter in a saucepan over low heat and warm to 112 degrees F (44 degrees C). Remove from heat. Stir in yeast and wait for mixture to bubble.
• Place flour in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture, whole eggs, egg white, chopped almonds, apricots, orange zest and juice, lemon zest, and mahlepi. Mix together. Knead dough until well mixed, adding extra flour if necessary until dough is only slightly sticky. Set dough aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Combine egg yolk and 1/4 cup milk in a bowl and place in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Knead risen dough to expel bubbles and divide into 2 equal parts. Divide each half into 3 equal balls. Roll each ball into a rope about 18 inches long. Braid 3 ropes to make a loaf and tuck the ends underneath and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 3 ropes to form a second loaf. Brush egg yolk mixture on top of each loaf and sprinkle with slivered almonds. Brush again with egg yolk mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until loaves are brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 40 minutes.

GREEK FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Mix the flour, salt and yeast together and then stir in the warm water and olive oil to make a soft dough.
• Transfer to a floured surface and knead for five minutes until springy, using extra flour if it's too sticky.
• Shape into a ball, brush over a little more oil, cover and leave to rise in a warm place until it doubles in size.
• This should take about an hour.
• Knead again on a floured surface and divide into six pieces, rolling each chunk into a ball.
• Leave to rise for 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 240 C or 475 F.
• Meanwhile, roll the balls flat until they're only 3mm or 1/8 of an inch thick and about 17cm or 7 inches across.
• Place on greased baking sheets, cover with a tea towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Spray the dough with water and bake for two minutes.
• Check to make sure they haven't gone hard and if not, bake for a couple minutes more.
• You want them firm but not hard or brown.
• Remove from the oven and serve immediately with dips or as a wrap for all sorts of fillings.
• Great with kebabs!
• If you must serve them later, you can brush them lightly with oil and then reheat them by briefly heating them in a frying pan.

12 TRADITIONAL GREEK BREADS

Steps:

• Select your favorite recipe.
• Organize all the required ingredients.
• Prep a Greek bread in 30 minutes or less!

GREEK OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, 4 tablespoons oil, sugar, salt and 1-1/2 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch down dough. Sprinkle with cheese and olives; fold and knead lightly until combined. Shape into an 8-in. round loaf. Place on a greased baking sheet. Brush with remaining oil. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes., With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across top of loaf. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack to cool.

NO-KNEAD, EASY GREEK OLIVE BREAD

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a glass measure and stir in the yeast until it dissolves. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• In a larger bowl, mix the flour and the salt and then add the milk and the yeast, stirring gently with a wooden spoon to incorporate. At this point, the dough will still be sticky - do not add more flour. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook.
• Cover the bowl with a towel, place it in a warm spot and let it rise for an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375° F. Place a 12" cast iron skillet in the oven until it is very hot.
• Add the extra virgin olive oil, the chopped olives and the oregano to the bread dough and mix well with a spatula, folding over the dough and scrapping the sides of the bowl, until well incorporated.
• Carefully remove from the oven the hot pan, line it with a piece of parchment paper and immediately add the dough, spreading and smoothing the top with a spatula.
• Transfer the hot pan to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until it is golden brown on the top and the bottom.
• Remove from the oven and let the bread cool a bit in the pan. Lift the bread from the parchment paper and lace on a wire rack to cool.

GREEK BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Add all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions.
• Set crust on medium and program for the Basic cycle; press Start.
• When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack; let cool to room temperature before slicing.