Lagana - Bread for Lent

On the Eastern Orthodox equivalent of Ash Wednesday - "Clean Monday" - Greeks eat lagana, a traditional bread. In classical Greek "laganon" refers to various unleavened breads and cakes mixed with oil, and while modern lagana is still flat, the leaven has crept in somewhere along the way. A moderate amount of yeast, single rise and slow-ish baking produce a crisp and rich flat loaf, easy to produce and good to eat with the vegetable soups or stews that would be obvious accompaniments. This recipe produces two small loaves, enough to accompany a meal.

[I have used kamut flour with this recipe successfully.]

Lagana

2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup olive oil (and extra for brushing loaves)
pinch of salt
1/2 cup warm water
sesame seeds

Combine flour, yeast, oil, salt and water, and stir to combine; a little more water may be necessary depending on the flour. Knead on a floured surface, just until smooth and elastic. Form into two flat ovals 1-2 cm thick, place on a flat surface sprinkled with cornmeal, cover with a cloth and prove 45 mins - 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180C/350F, with a baking stone if you have one. Press fingertips into the loaves to create a dimpled effect all over, brush with extra oil and them sprinkle with sesame seeds. Slide then onto the stone and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Clean Monday 2009 is March 2, and in 2010 February 15.