Lagana

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Lagana is a traditional flatbread that is usually associated with Clean Monday—the first day of Lent. The bread is made with wheat flour, and although it was primarily unleavened and did not include dairy or oil, modern varieties are often prepared with olive oil and yeast. The bread is oval-shaped and flat, and the top is typically pressed with fingers to create small indentations. Optional ingredients often include olives and various herbs, but sesame seeds are the most common topping. The exact origin of this ancient Greek bread is still vague, but its first written reference dates back to 5th century BC when it was mentioned in a poem written by a Greek poet Aristophanes, while the name lagana stems from the ancient Greco-Roman term laganon that denoted a similar thin flatbread.