Yiaourtopsomo - Greek Yogurt Bread
This simple slightly sweet, slightly tangy bread is easy to make, and even easier to eat!
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 ½ cup bread flour, plus more for kneading
1 ½ cup lukewarm water - about 100 degrees
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (full fat)
1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey, plus more to drizzle on top
2-3 tablespoons Cornmeal, as needed
Directions
Add the dry yeast to the flour, and mix it well to fully combine.
Add a cup of the lukewarm water, the yogurt, egg, olive oil, salt, and honey to the bowl, and mix by hand with a wooden spoon (or in a mixer with a dough hook on low speed) until the dough begins to come together. If the dough is too sticky from too much water, add a little flour to balance it. Continue to knead the dough 3-4 minutes more, until it really comes together and becomes workable.
Scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto a clean, floured surface. Knead the soft dough with the heal of your hand until smooth, then shape it into a ball. Roll it around in a large bowl with a little olive oil to coat it and cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap to rise for about 1 hour in a warm place.
After the dough has risen, approximately double in size, roll the dough around the bowl to prevent it from sticking to the sides, and add a heaping pinch of cornmeal. Move the dough around the bowl a few times to incorporate the cornmeal on the surface.
Add olive oil to the loaf pan to coat, and add the dough to the pan. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a tablespoon of cornmeal, and drizzle with honey.
Let the dough rise in the loaf pan covered loosely with a kitchen towel in a warm place for at least an hour, while preheating the oven to 375ºF degrees.
After the dough has risen 1/2 inch or so above the rim of the pan, remove the kitchen towel, and place on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. It will rise even more in the oven so be sure it's not too close to another rack. Rotate the loaf front halfway through to ensure even baking and color. When it's done it will sound quite hollow when tapped.
Remove from oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes before moving to resting rack and drizzling with honey. Allow to cool further for 30-45 minutes before slicing.
Chef’s Notes:
This dough is very soft and supple when it comes together, thanks to the Greek yogurt. It should be smooth, but not too tough when ready for the second rise in the loaf pan.
You can split this recipe into multiple pans, or rolls, but remember to adjust the baking time accordingly.