Koulouri Thessalonikis
The Thessaloniki City of Gastronomy page gives a 15–18-ring yeast dough, dipped in sweetened water and sesame before baking. Its fresh yeast is listed as one dice without a mass, which remains unresolved.
Cretan barley paximadi
Paximadi kritiko · Cretan barley rusk · Greek barley rusks
Cretan paximadi is a twice-baked rusk. This barley-wheat version is raised with yeast, baked as a loaf, sliced, and dried slowly until it keeps.
Rusk, not bread
Paximadi is a rusk: bread that is baked, sliced and then dried again until it is hard enough to keep for a long time. The author distinguishes the round kouloura forms from the thin slices used for dakos. Cretan households used rusks because they could be kept and carried.
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Why the loaf is dried twice
The first bake sets the crumb. Slicing while the loaf is still warm lets the cut faces dry, and the low-temperature drying stage removes the remaining moisture slowly so the rusk becomes crisp rather than hard on the outside only. slices are cooled completely before storage.
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Serving
The author softens a slice slightly with water, then adds olive oil, cheese, tomato or olives. Barley and wheat flours in equal weights give the dough its character; the source does not describe alternative grain mixes.
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Ingredients
Yield 20 servings · Scaling: source batch only
Fresh yeast
25 g
Or 2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeastWhole grain barley flour
227 g
About one poundWhole grain wheat flour
227 g
About one poundAmount not stated
1/2 teaspoon in the dough plus a pinch for the yeastAmount not stated
1/2 teaspoon plus a pinch for activating the yeastAmount not stated
About 1 1/2 cups lukewarm for the dough, about 1/2 cup for the yeastMethod
- Activate the yeast with about 1/2 cup lukewarm (not hot) water and a pinch of sugar. Leave about 10 minutes until it bubbles on the surface. Follow package directions for dry yeast.
- Combine the two flours, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in a large bowl.
- Make a well, add the yeast mixture and about 1 1/2 cups water, and knead about 10 minutes until soft, not thick, and no longer sticking to the fingers. Add a little more lukewarm water if too dry. A stand mixer with a dough hook on low can be used.
- Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
- Knock back the dough and shape it into a long loaf about 3 cm wide. Cut into slices without cutting all the way through, cover and let rise again. no time for this rise.
- Heat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and bake the loaf for about 1 hour.
- Reduce the oven to 100 C (210 F). When the loaf is cool enough to handle, separate the slices and spread them on a pan.
- Bake about 2 hours until completely dry.
- Let the rusks cool completely, then store in an airtight container. no storage duration.
- To eat, the slices are softened with water and topped with olive oil, cheese, tomato or olives.
Conditions
Yield20 servings
Active time85 min
Fermentationup to 1 h
Temperature100–180°C
Places
Greece
Traditional preparation · Country evidenceThe author describes the rusks as suited to households that could not bake bread often and travelled well. No dated attestation is given.
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Sources
OliveTomato.com / Elena ParavantesMethod · History
Authentic Greek Barley Rusks - Paximadi KritikoFlour weights, yeast activation, rises, 180 C first bake, 100 C drying, storage wording.
Rusks suited households that could not bake often; round kouloura versus sliced dakos distinction.
Cited in: Rusk, not bread; Why the loaf is dried twice; Serving