Lepinja

Drygast, 2022-08-10

Lepinja - a flat bread from the Balkans.

Servings	8 Portions
Tags	Bakery \| Balkan \| Flour \| Vegetarian
Allergens	Wheat
Prep Time	30 min
Rest Time	120 min
Cook Time	10 min

Lepinja are airy, slightly soft and juicy flatbreads that are popular all over the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. The first time I was going to use these in a dish, I chose to replace them with pita bread instead, which is a common replacement, but after baking the bread myself once, I don't replace them anymore. Lepinja is perfect to open up and fill with e.g. cevapcici or pljeskavica.

The recipe is enough for 8 pieces of bread and you can fit 4 pieces on a normal-sized baking sheet, but if you want to make sure they are perfectly round, you can make 3 pieces at a time instead.

I prefer to bake these as I think it's fun to bake, but you can usually get these breads in larger shops if you're short on time. In Sweden, you can e.g. find these in the freezer at citygross (they are sometimes called Lepina bread).

Some variations:

Cook in a pizza oven instead. With higher heat, it's much faster.
Add black cumin seeds (nigella seeds).

These breads are best immediately after they are freshly baked. However, it is also perfectly possible to freeze them - let them cool completely, place them in a bag and then they will last without problems for at least 2 months in the freezer.

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Directions

Lepinja

Pour lukewarm water into a baking machine with dough hook. Pour in dry yeast and sugar. Let stand for approx. 10 minutes.
Add oil and start the machine. Then add flour and salt, let the baking machine knead the dough for about 10 minutes. It will be a sticky dough. Add more flour if you think it's necessary, but just enough to handle the dough.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 1-1.5 hours (or in the refrigerator overnight).
Pour the dough onto a well-floured table, divide it into 8 parts and form into balls. Let the balls rest under a baking cloth for 30 min.
Take a ball of dough and place on a floured table. Press out until you have a flat bread of approx. 15cm diameter. Place on a baking tray with baking paper. Make a grid pattern on the top with a knife or suitable tool. Cover with a baking cloth and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Bake in oven - 250°C until golden, which takes 8-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with a baking cloth immediately (this keeps the bread soft).
Allow to cool under a baking cloth and use immediately. You can also put some in a bag and then freeze - they last 2 months in the freezer.

Nutrition Facts*

	Total	Serving	100 g
Energy	2802.56 kcal	350.32 kcal	232 kcal
Carbohydrates	518.84 g	64.85 g	42.95 g
Fat	57.62 g	7.2 g	4.77 g
Protein	58.59 g	7.32 g	4.85 g
Sugar	23.8 g	2.97 g	1.97 g
Salt	11.84 g	1.48 g	0.98 g

* The nutritional information provided is approximated and calculated using the ingredients available in the database. Info will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.