Description
Traditional Croatian Lepinja Bread is a soft, fluffy flatbread perfect for sandwiches or as a side. This simple recipe uses basic ingredients like flour, yeast, olive oil, and warm water to create a golden, slightly crispy crust with a tender interior. Ideal for serving with grilled meats, cheeses, or traditional Balkan fillings.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (around 110°F/43°C)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and instant yeast. Stir until the yeast dissolves and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. This forms the base of your dough.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the frothy yeast mixture and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Stir together until the dough starts forming.
- Knead Dough: Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes on a floured surface until it becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
- First Rise: Cover the dough with a clean cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Prepare Oven: Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). If available, place a baking stone or baking sheet inside to preheat for better crust.
- Shape Dough: Punch down the risen dough to release air. Divide into 8 equal portions, shape each into a ball, then flatten into thick discs about 1/2 inch thick.
- Second Rise: Arrange the discs on a parchment-lined or floured baking sheet. Cover them with a cloth and let rise an additional 15-20 minutes.
- Score Dough: Using a sharp knife or dough scraper, make a few shallow cuts on top of each disc to allow expansion while baking.
- Bake: Place the bread in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and puffed. For crispier crust, place directly on the baking stone.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Optionally, brush tops with olive oil for extra flavor and shine before serving.
Notes
- Use warm water around 110°F (43°C) to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- Adding olive oil enriches the bread and helps keep it soft.
- If you don’t have a baking stone, a heavy baking sheet preheated in the oven works well.
- Allowing the dough to rise twice helps develop texture and flavor.
- Shallow scoring prevents the bread from cracking unpredictably while expanding.
