Pogača – Traditional Balkan Bread
257.76kcal
Ingredients
Dough
- 17.6 oz unbleached all-purpose flour US adaptation of German Type 550; weigh for best results
- 2 1/4 tsp dry yeast a standard packet equivalent; activation method below
- 1 1/4 tsp granulated sugar US volume approximate
- 1 2/3 tsp fine salt table-salt density; weigh other salt types
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk lukewarm; US volume rounded; Metric is the reference
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil for the dough
For the Rising Bowl
- 1 tsp sunflower oil for coating the bowl and dough
Egg Wash and Topping
- 1 egg yolk from a large US egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk for the egg wash
- 3 1/3 tsp sesame seeds US volume approximate; weigh for exact amount
After Baking
- 3 1/4 tsp butter melted; US volume approximate
Equipment
- Kitchen scale
- Measuring jug
- Small bowl
- Mixing bowl
- Dough scraper
- Round baking pan 11 inches (28 cm); one per base loaf
- Parchment paper rated for at least 400°F; trim to fit the pan
- Sharp knife
- Pastry brush
- Kitchen towel
- Cooling rack
- Instant-read thermometer
Method
- Warm the milk. Warm the dough milk to 95–100°F (35–38°C). It should feel lukewarm, never hot; keep it below about 104°F (40°C). Reserve the separate egg-wash milk for later.
- Activate the yeast. Stir the yeast and sugar with about one-third of the lukewarm dough milk in a small bowl. Leave for about 5 minutes, until lightly foamy. If there is no sign of activity, check the yeast date and milk temperature before continuing; allow a little longer if needed.
- Mix and knead. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture, remaining dough milk, and dough oil. Stir until no dry flour remains, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, soft, and elastic. Slight tackiness is expected. Do not knead in extra flour simply to make the surface dry.
- Let the dough rise. Coat the mixing bowl with the bowl oil. Round the dough, place it in the bowl, and turn once to coat. Cover and leave in a warm, draft-free place for about 40 minutes, until noticeably expanded and nearly doubled. A cool room may require longer.
- Shape the round loaf. Line an 11-inch (28 cm) round pan with parchment rated for the baking temperature. Gently press out only very large air pockets, fold the dough edges toward the center, turn it over, and round it with your hands. Place in the pan and gently flatten to about 1¼–1½ inches (3–4 cm) thick. For scaled batches, divide into the same number of base-size loaves as the batch multiplier and use a separate comparable pan for each.
- Complete the second rise. Cover loosely and let the shaped bread rise for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat a conventional oven to 400°F (200°C). The loaf should look puffy, and a light fingertip indentation should spring back slowly.
- Score, brush, and sprinkle. Whisk the yolk with the egg-wash milk. Make shallow crossing cuts about 3/16 inch (5 mm) deep with a sharp knife. Brush gently and evenly with the yolk mixture, then distribute the sesame over the top. Divide the topping evenly among loaves when scaling.
- Bake until cooked through. Bake on the lower-middle rack for about 25 minutes, checking the color after 20 minutes. The surface should be richly golden and the underside set, with a hollow sound when tapped carefully. The center must not be wet or gummy; around 190°F (88°C) in the middle is a useful yeast-bread doneness guide alongside those signs. If the surface colors too quickly, tent loosely with oven-safe parchment within its rating or foil and finish baking. Check each loaf separately.
- Butter and rest. Melt the finishing butter gently and brush it thinly over the hot bread. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and rest for 10 minutes. Lift the bread out of the pan and serve warm, divided into the number of pieces shown. Uncover and cool fully on a rack before airtight storage.
Notes
- This is the defined milk-and-yeast version of pogača, not a soda bread, yogurt bread, somun, or lepinja. US whole milk contains at least 3.25% milk fat and is a practical equivalent to the source's approximately 3.5% milk. Do not replace it with water within this formula.
- US measures are rounded. Ounces are weights, not fluid ounces. For flour, yeast, sesame, salt, and butter, use the Metric setting and a scale when precision matters. A standard dry-yeast packet is approximately 2¼ teaspoons; check the packet weight because specialty yeast packets can differ.
- The bowl oil coats the rising dough; the baking pan is parchment-lined. It is not an extra oil addition for both jobs. Use parchment labeled for at least 400°F and keep it away from heating elements.
- Rising and resting time comprises a first rise of about 40 minutes, a second rise of about 20 minutes, and a 10-minute rest after baking. The 2-hour total assumes the base batch; dough development matters more than the clock.
- For 2x, make two comparable loaves in two pans; for 3x, make three in three pans. Keep thickness similar. Allow oven space or bake sequentially, preventing waiting loaves from overproofing. Extra handling and baking batches can extend total time; do not make one oversized loaf.
- Cool completely before sealing. Keep airtight at room temperature until the next day; freeze portions airtight for about 2 months for best quality. Thaw and warm at 350°F (180°C) for roughly 5–8 minutes, longer for larger or colder pieces.
- Nutrition is an independent estimate per one-tenth of the full recipe. It uses King Arthur all-purpose flour's label and USDA composition for whole milk, dry yeast, sugar, yolk, sesame, sunflower oil, and unsalted butter. Milk is estimated at 1.03 g/ml, oil at 0.92 g/ml, and a yolk at 17 g. All oil, sesame, butter, and wash are counted; bowl residue, leftover wash, brands, and portion size affect actual intake. Accompaniments are excluded.