Gáhkku

Gáhkku (Sami Soft Flatbread)

Gáhkku is a traditional Sami flatbread from northern Sweden, traditionally baked on a hot hearth or griddle. It is a soft, dense, slightly sweet bread that uses milk to keep the crumb tender.

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

40 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (4 cups) fine-milled barley or wheat flour, traditionally Sami-milled barley; plain all-purpose flour works in a home kitchen
• •500 ml (2 cups) whole milk, do not substitute with water; the milk is essential to the traditional texture
• •10 g (2 tsp) baking powder, traditional recipes often skip this and rely on a long proof; included for a reliable home result
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine salt
• •15 g (1 Tbsp) melted butter, for brushing the cooked rounds; optional but common
• •30 g (¼ cup) wheat bran or extra barley flour, for dusting; mimics the wood-fired hearth

Steps

1. 1 Warm the milk to about 38 °C / 100 °F in a small saucepan or microwave; it should feel comfortably warm, not hot. This is the traditional activation step instead of a yeast starter.
2. 2 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center.
3. 3 Pour the warm milk into the well and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft, sticky dough forms. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes so the flour fully hydrates; traditionally this rest also helps the baking powder activate evenly.
4. 4 Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface (use the extra barley flour or bran). Divide into 6 equal pieces (about 120 g each). Pat each piece into a round about 15 cm / 6 inches wide and roughly 8 mm / ⅓ inch thick. Score each round lightly into 4 wedges, in the traditional Sami style (this makes tearing and storing easier).
5. 5 Heat a dry cast-iron skillet or heavy griddle over medium-low heat for 3 minutes until evenly hot. Place one round on the surface.
6. 6 Cook for about 4 minutes on the first side, until small dry spots appear on the surface and the bottom is mottled brown but not charred. Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. The bread is done when it sounds slightly hollow when tapped and a fork or skewer comes out clean from the thickest point; internal crumb temperature should reach at least 90 °C / 195 °F.
7. 7 Repeat with the remaining rounds, stacking cooked ones on a clean towel and covering loosely with another towel to keep them soft. In the traditional hearth method, the bread is set on edge around the embers; a covered stack mimics that steam retention.
8. 8 While still warm, brush each round with a thin film of melted butter if using. Wrap in a clean tea towel until serving; gáhkku is traditionally torn and eaten with butter, cheese, smoked fish, or reindeer meat.