Greek Village Bread recipie

(3 loaves, ~570 g each)

Do you want real Greek village bread? No mess, no rolling pin, just pure rustic flavor. A crispy, aromatic crust and a beautiful open crumb – the kind of bread that tastes like home.

For this bread, you’ll need:

Ingredients:

1000 g wheat flour (about 12% protein),
680 g hot water (50°C),
14 g dry yeast,
11 g salt.

Total dough weight ≈ 1705 g → 3 portions of ~570 g.

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1. Mixing (bulk fermentation)

1. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Gradually add the hot water (about 50°C), mixing with a tablespoon.
3. Stir until the dough becomes uniform and sticky.
4. Cover and let it rest for 40–60 minutes — it should double in size and become more elastic and easier to handle.

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2. Dividing and Resting

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
2. Divide it into 3 pieces of ~570 g each
3. Slightly round each piece.
4. Cover and let them rest for 10 minutes.

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3. Folding (strengthening the dough)

Method “third – to the center”

Step 1. Shape into a rectangle

Gently flatten the dough with your hands, stretching it into a rectangle.
Don’t press hard – just even out the surface.

Step 2. Top third → down, to the center

Lift the top third (about 1/3 of the height)
and fold it down toward the center, so the edge lands around the middle.

Step 3. Bottom third → up, covering the fold

Lift the bottom third
and fold it up, covering the previous fold — like closing a letter.

Step 4. Turn 90° and repeat (for structure)

Perform 1–2 more folds after turning the dough 90°,
until the dough becomes smooth, tightened, and elastic.
Total — about 6 folds performed over each piece of dough.

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4. Final Shaping

After folding:

1. Lightly flatten the dough.
2. Fold the top toward the center.
3. Fold the bottom toward the center.
4. Bring the sides slightly inward.
5. Pull the dough tight to create surface tension and shape a firm ball or oval.
6. Place seam-side down in a basket/bowl.

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5. Proofing

Let the dough rise again for 45–60 minutes,
until it increases by about 70–80%. At this time you may start preheating (from chapter 6)

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6. Baking

Preheating

Place an empty Dutch oven into the oven and heat it to 250°C.

Baking

1. Carefully transfer the dough into the hot Dutch oven (preferably on parchment).
2. Make 1–3 slashes or how to say scores
3. Bake:
   • 15 minutes with the lid on at 250°C,
   • 18–22 minutes without the lid at 220°C.

(Alternative: on a baking stone or tray — 250°C for 10 minutes with steam,
then 220°C for 20–25 minutes until golden.)

Ostaljnije dva otpravljajte v holodiljnik dla medlennoj fermentaciji i vipekajte pozzhe