Ladenia from Kimolos (Greek Olive Oil Flatbread)
- Total timeTotal
- 2 hr
- ServingsServings
- 8
Ladenia is the Cycladic ancestor of pizza: a soft dough baked with tomato, onion and plenty of olive oil, and no cheese. It is recorded as one of the oldest forms of pizza.
Ladenia is the Cycladic ancestor of pizza: a soft dough baked with tomato, onion and plenty of olive oil, and no cheese. It is recorded as one of the oldest forms of pizza. As a child, I remember my grandmother making it to welcome us at the start of every summer, when we would all gather to cut it together. When I was little, I mostly helped with the vegetables, but over the years I learned the secrets of every stage of traditional ladenia from Kimolos.
Kimolos, the small island next to Milos, is my place: I have spent every summer there with my family since I was a child. A unique world, forgotten by time, with wild beauty and clean flavors.
Here is our family recipe for authentic, traditional ladenia from Kimolos.
Step by step
1 photo
Ladenia from Kimolos Recipe
Ingredients
For the dough
For the topping
Method
- Start with the dough, because it needs time to rise.
- Dissolve the yeast in a glass with a little of the lukewarm water.
- Put the flour in a large bowl, make a well in the middle, add the water with the yeast and stir. Add a pinch of salt, the olive oil and the rest of the water, and knead well until the dough is elastic and doesn’t stick to your hands.
- TipYou can also use bread flour, or buy 700–750 g of country bread dough from your local bakery. The result will still be wonderful!
- Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- First peel the onions, cut them in half and then into thin slices.
- TipTo remove some of their liquid, you can put them in a colander, sprinkle with a little salt and let them drain for 15–30 minutes.
- Next, slice the tomatoes thinly, removing as many seeds and as much liquid as you can.
- TipFor a better result, peel the tomatoes. To peel them quickly, dip them in boiling water for a few seconds, then into ice water, and peel carefully.
- Once the dough has risen, move on to the final stage of the ladenia.
- Pour a little olive oil into a large 35 cm baking pan and spread it over the whole surface and the sides. Place the dough in the middle of the pan and spread it with your hands, pressing gently from the center toward the sides.
- Once the dough is spread out, cover the whole surface with the onion first, then the tomatoes on top.
- TipCover the whole surface of the dough, because the tomato shrinks as it bakes and you don’t want gaps. You should taste the tomato in every bite!
- Finally, slowly and carefully pour the rest of the olive oil all over, and sprinkle with a little salt, freshly ground pepper and some oregano.
- Bake at 200°C convection (fan) for about 50–60 minutes (depending on your oven), until the ladenia is golden on top and cooked underneath.
- Let it cool a little before you enjoy it, or, if you can’t wait, try it warm.
- You can serve it with some graviera or another favorite cheese.
