Greek Clean Monday Flatbread (Lagana)

Name: Greek Clean Monday Flatbread (Lagana)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Greece
Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups (440 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting; 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) lukewarm water; 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) active dry yeast; 1 teaspoon (4 g) sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons (9 g) fine sea salt; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing and brushing; 2 tablespoons (18 g) white sesame seeds

Λαγάνα LaganaSay it: lah-GAH-nah

By the Passport Plate editors. Published November 8, 2026.

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Lagana is the flat, sesame-crusted bread baked for Clean Monday, the first day of Orthodox Lent in Greece. It is a simple Lenten loaf of flour, water, olive oil and yeast, shaped into a wide oval and dimpled before baking. The crust turns crisp and golden while the inside stays soft and slightly chewy. Greeks eat it warm or at room temperature with olives, pickles and taramosalata, making it the edible symbol of the day's fasting table.

Greek Clean Monday Flatbread (Lagana)

Λαγάνα, Lagana

Pronounced lah-GAH-nah

Serves: 4
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 45 min
Level: Easy

Also nut-free and egg-free.

Allergens: contains gluten, sesame. Check labels on packaged ingredients.

Ingredients

4 servings

Dough

3 1/2 cups (440 g)440 g (3 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 1/4 cups (300 ml)300 ml (1 1/4 cups) lukewarm water
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g)7 g (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon (4 g)4 g (1 teaspoon) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons (9 g)9 g (1 1/2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
2 tablespoons (30 ml)30 ml (2 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing and brushing

Topping

2 tablespoons (18 g)18 g (2 tablespoons) white sesame seeds

Method

In a small bowl, stir together the lukewarm water, yeast and sugar. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until the surface is foamy.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil, and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth, soft and elastic; it should spring back when gently pressed.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Stretch it into an oval about 12 by 8 inches (30 by 20 cm) and 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick.
Cover loosely and let rise for 30 to 40 minutes, until puffy. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Dimple the surface all over with oiled fingertips. Brush generously with olive oil and scatter the sesame seeds evenly over the top.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown, the edges are crisp, and the underside sounds hollow when tapped. If the sesame seeds brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

Regional variants

Some bakers add a little whole-wheat flour for a rustic crumb or scatter black sesame seeds over the top; the bread remains Lenten as long as it is made with olive oil and no dairy or eggs.

Cook's notes

Keep the dough soft; add flour only until it no longer sticks to the bowl, or the baked lagana will be dense.
Dimple the dough just before baking and brush generously with olive oil so the sesame seeds adhere and the surface turns glossy.
Let the baked bread cool for 10 minutes on a rack so the crust sets, then slice while still warm.

Serve with

Olives, pickles, taramosalata, and halva for a traditional Clean Monday table.

Make ahead and storage

Lagana is best the day it is baked. Wrap leftovers in foil and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 to 8 minutes; freeze slices for up to 1 month.

Greek Clean Monday Flatbread (Lagana)