Serbian Pogaca Recipes

SERBIAN "POGACHA" BREAD

Steps:

• Scald milk and add butter. Allow to cool to lukewarm. Add yeast and sugar and stir until dissolved.
• Measure 5 cups flour into work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add milk-yeast mixture, sour cream, oil, egg and salt. Mix well.
• Switch to dough hook and knead on medium-low for about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Turn out into a large greased bowl. Flip dough over to grease both sides, cover and let rise until doubled.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Punch down dough and place in a 10-inch round greased pan with high sides (about 3 inches) or handshape into a 10-inch round and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Using a sharp knife or a "lame," slash top of dough three times. Some make an "X" on top. Bake about 1 hour or until instant-read thermometer registers 190 degrees. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.

POGACA (SERBIAN BREAD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water.
• Add sugar oil and egg.
• Gradually stir in flour until combined and soft dough forms.
• Knead in bowl for 1 minute.
• Place dough in greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled.
• Roll on floured board into large, slightly flattened circle.
• Prick with fork all over.
• Brush top with oil or butter and let sit 20 minutes.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

POGAčA

Steps:

• Heat the milk and add the butter. Cool to a warm temperature of 95 F (36 C).
• Add the yeast and sugar and mix until dissolved.
• Leave to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 15 minutes.
• Add the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer and dig a well in the center. Add the mixture of milk and yeast, sour cream, oil, lemon juice (or vinegar) and egg to the center of the well.
• Using the dough hook, knead at medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the salt and knead again for 5 minutes. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rise for an hour in a warm place, away from drafts.
• On a lightly floured work surface, punch the dough and divide it into two pieces.
• Place each piece of dough in a greased pastry ring, about 5 inches (12 cm) in diameter and flatten by hand, or form two round loaves by hand of about 5 inches in diameter.
• Using a sharp knife, draw a cross on top of the dough.
• Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 15 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C).
• Bake both loaves for about 50 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and place the buns on a cooling rack.

TURKISH POGAçA

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm milk in a bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup water, vegetable oil, salt, and yeast mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment; knead until pliable and not too sticky. Add a little flour if too soft, or warm water if too hard. Cover with a wet cloth and let sit at room temperature for 45 to 50 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking tray with butter.
• Mix feta cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and chili powder together in a bowl until well combined.
• Knead dough for 2 minutes. Divide it into 12 equal portions, and roll each one into a ball. Use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten each ball into a 2- to 3-inch circle. Add a spoon of cheese filling in the middles and fold the edges upward like a bundle, pressing to secure. Place on the prepared baking try, folded-sides down. Brush with milk and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
• Bake on the top rack of the preheated oven until golden, 30 to 32 minutes.

POGACA (SERBIAN BREAD) RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add Sugar oil and egg. Gradually stir in flour until combined and soft dough forms. Knead in bowl for 1 minute. Place dough in greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled. Roll on floured board into large, slightly flattened circle. Prick with fork all over. Brush top with oil or butter and let sit 20 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

SERBIAN POGACA

Steps:

• 1. Mix salt, sugar, yeast and water in a large bowl.
• 2. Add 3 cups flour & mix well (use large wooden spoon). Add 3 Tbsp. oil and mix well, dough will become very sticky. Add 2 cups flour and mix well (use hands).
• 3. Let dough rest in bowl about 5-minutes. Then take out and knead on lightly floured board for 5- minutes, until smooth.
• 4. Grease bowl with 1 tsp. of oil. Put dough in & spin so top & bottom is greased. Cover with plastic wrap & let it raise until doubled. To test if doubled - poke with two fingers into dough, if the holes stay the dough has doubled.
• 5. Take out dough and divide in half. Knead each part about 2-minutes, shape into round ball & flatten with hands to about a 1" high -7 or 8" diameter loaf. Prick with fork deep into dough all over. Makes 2 pogacas (this should be done on a large cookie sheet that has been greased with shortening). Cover & let raise until double.
• 6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 25 to 30 minutes. Tap bottom, if it sounds hollow its done. Grease top with a little shortening, let cool on rack.

POGACA (FETA DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the flour with baking soda in a bowl; set aside.
• Mix the canola oil, butter, yogurt, eggs, sour cream, sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients to form a soft dough. Knead and squeeze the dough in the bowl until it is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Stir the feta cheese, parsley, olive oil, and paprika together in a bowl with a fork to make a filling.
• Make each dumpling by pinching off about 2 1/2 tablespoons of dough; roll into a ball about 1 3/4 inches across between your hands, and press it into a flat circle 3 inches across on your palm. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon of filling into the center of the circle. Bring the edges of the circle together over the filling, and pinch them together to make a fat, round little stuffed dumpling. Set the dumplings onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, seam sides down. Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl, and brush the pogaca tops with the egg yolk. Sprinkle each with about 1/4 teaspoon of sesame seeds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are shiny, brown, and crackled, 20 to 30 minutes.