Greek Bread (Horiatiko Psomi)

Greek Village Bread (Horiatiko Psomi / χωριάτικο ψωμί) is easy to make and incredibly delicious! This rustic country-style loaf has a wonderfully soft crumb and crisp crust.

Greeks serve slices of bread alongside their meals, or at least my family always does! The bread is meant for dipping in salad to mop up the delicious oil, or simply eaten alongside the food.

Horiatiko Psomi (pronounced hoh-ree-AH-tee-koh psoh-MEE) means village-style bread and it is one of the most popular bread varieties in Greece. This bread has a hearty texture and bold flavor. It is made with just a few simple ingredients: flour, semolina, yeast, salt, and water. Traditionally, it is baked in wood-fired ovens, giving it a thick, crunchy crust and beautifully soft crumb.

When in Greece, you simply pick up a loaf from the local bakery… but why do that when you can easily make it at home!

This bread is truly delicious and soft enough to make into sandwiches or toasted and spread with butter and jam. I like to top my Greek bread with sesame seeds which give it a lovely aroma especially when toasted. If you are not a fan of sesame seeds you can leave the bread plain.

Here’s What You Will Need

A dough whisk and lame (for scoring) are very useful. A bread sling is very highly recommended for easily lowering / lifting the bread in and out of a Dutch Oven.

• White bread flour – otherwise known as strong flour. This type of flour is higher in gluten and will give your bread a wonderful rise.
• Fine semolina – semolina is made from durum wheat and has a pale yellow colour. This means your horiatiko bread will also have a golden crumb! Semolina can look similar to polenta (cornmeal) in appearance but it is not the same ingredient at all.
• Rapid rise dry yeast – this is mixed in with the dry ingredients before any liquid is added and doesn’t require activation.
• Salt and sugar – the salt is essential as it both controls the action of the yeast and adds flavor. The sugar is optional so feel free to leave out if you prefer.
• Milk for a tender crumb
• Melted unsalted butter (cooled)
• Water (tepid water) – don’t be tempted to use hot water to speed up the rise as it can kill the yeast!
• Egg white and water for egg wash plus sesame seeds to top

How to Make Greek Bread

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

1. Place the flour, semolina, sugar, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Stir together to combine. Add the water, milk and melted butter (make sure the butter has cooled down otherwise it may kill the yeast).
2. Mix together using a dough whisk or a wooden spoon. You will have a rough and shaggy dough.

1. Leave the dough to rest for 15 minutes then use your hands or the dough whisk to stretch and fold the dough. Flip the dough over and let it rest, loosely covered, for five minutes. Repeat the stretch and fold three more times, resting in between.

First Rise

1. Drizzle the bowl with olive oil and turn the dough a few times so that it is greased with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and leave it to rise for 90 minutes or until doubled. In the summer it may take less time for the dough to rise than it would in winter.

Second Rise

1. Deflate the dough and turn out onto a worktop lightly dusted with a little flour.
2. Shape the bread into a ball. Spread the dough out to make a rectangular shape. Fold one end in and then the other end over it.

1. Flip over and use your hands to shape the dough into a ball. Cup in your hands and place in a bowl or a prepped banneton to rise for the second time, covered.

Bake the Bread

1. Preheat your oven to 450F (230C) for at least half an hour while the loaf is having its second rise. Place a lidded pot (Dutch Oven) in the oven to preheat.
2. Gently invert the bread onto a bread sling (or a piece of baking paper). Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Use a razor or sharp knife to slice the top of the loaf.

1. Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Lower the loaf into the hot Dutch Oven, cover and bake for 30 minutes.

1. Reduce the temperature to 425F (220C). Take the lid off the pot and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Lift the bread out of the pot and allow it to cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Storing and Freezing

Cool the bread before slicing. Store in a linen bag at room temperature for a couple of days or slice the whole loaf and freeze for up to a month, well wrapped. You can toast the frozen bread slices directly from the freezer.

Serving Suggestions

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Traditional Greek Salad (Horiatiki Salata)

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Gigantes Plaki – Greek Baked Beans Recipe