Skordopsomo

Skordopsomo (Greek Garlic Bread)

Skordopsomo is a beloved Greek snack - a fragrant flatbread richly infused with raw garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs. It is traditionally baked in a wood-fired village oven and eaten warm, sliced into squares, often alongside olives, feta, or a simple salad.

Prep

25 min

Cook

20 min

Total

45 min

Serves

6-8

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) bread flour, or all-purpose flour
• •300 ml (1¼ cups) lukewarm water
• •7 g (2¼ tsp) instant dry yeast, or 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast
• •10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
• •60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• •6 cloves garlic, finely grated or crushed; traditionally a generous amount
• •2 g (1 tsp) freshly ground black pepper, coarsely ground
• •10 g (¼ cup) fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• •5 g (2 tbsp) fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped (or 1 tbsp dried Greek oregano)
• •15 g (2 tbsp) coarse semolina or cornmeal, for dusting the pan

Steps

1. 1 In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the lukewarm water and 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
2. 2 Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1½ hours, until doubled in size.
3. 3 Mix the grated garlic, remaining 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil, black pepper, basil, and oregano in a small bowl to form a paste. Set aside.
4. 4 Punch down the dough and roll it out on parchment paper into a large rectangle about 35 x 30 cm (14 x 12 in), roughly 1 cm (⅓ in) thick.
5. 5 Spread the garlic-herb paste evenly over the surface of the dough. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough into rough 6 x 6 cm (2½ in) squares (do not separate the pieces).
6. 6 Sprinkle a large baking sheet with the semolina or cornmeal and transfer the dough (on the parchment) onto it. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise for 20-30 minutes.
7. 7 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
8. 8 Bake the skordopsomo for 18-22 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Internal temperature of the bread should read at least 93°C (200°F).
9. 9 Remove from the oven, drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil while still hot, and let rest for 5 minutes.
10. 10 Serve warm, pulling apart along the pre-cut lines, traditionally with olives, feta, or a tomato-and-cucumber salad.