Ladenia (Greek Pizza)
By Ruth Bardis
Category
Entree
Cuisine
Greek
Servings
8
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Resting Time
35 Minutes
Total Time
1 Hour 15 Minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon castor (superfine) sugar
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
- 2 1/2 cups (410 g) all-purpose flour
-
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
-
1 tablespoon oregano, ground in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
-
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced (optional)
- 3/4 cup (3 1/2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese (optional)
For The Dough
For The Topping
Directions
Make the dough. In a large bowl, gently whisk the yeast, sugar, and warm water until combined. Set aside until the yeast starts to bubble, at least 5 minutes. Add the flour, ¼ cup oil, and teaspoon of salt and mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon to form a soft, pliable dough. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water; if it is too wet, add a little flour.
Stretch the dough. Coat a round baking pan, 11-inch in diameter with a minimum depth of 1 inch, in a thin layer of olive oil. Transfer the dough into the skillet and use your fingertips to gently press, jiggle, and stretch the dough to the edges of the skillet (like a focaccia). It may keep bouncing back slightly. Don't worry too much if it does not stretch to the edge of pan; you will stretch the dough again after proofing.
Proof the dough. Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and allow it to rise for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the topping. Place the tomatoes, onion, dried oregano, ½ cup olive oil, and olives into a bowl. Season with a bit of salt and mix to coat with the olive oil, being careful not to break up the tomatoes, and set aside.
Get ready to bake. Preheat your oven to 400°F. After 30 minutes, remove the tea towel. Use your fingertips to gently stretch and jiggle the dough toward the edge of pan. When finished the dough should have lots of dimples and indentations.
Build and bake. Add the crumbled feta cheese over the top of the dough, then spread the tomato mixture over the feta cheese, distributing it evenly. Spoon any accumulated juices from the tomatoes and olive oil over top. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the base is cooked and the top is golden.
Serve. Remove from the oven, cut into pieces, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Note
- Use a baking pan or sheet pan with at least a 1-inch deep edge. The deeper the pan, the better it is, but it should not be less than 2 inches. This will prevent the oily juices from seeping over and causing a mess in the oven. Do not use a pizza tray with holes, a pizza stone, or a flat sheet pan without a rim.
- Make it vegan: Just skip the cheese. Traditional ladenia is topped with just onions and tomatoes and is so delicious!
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or eat straight from the refrigerator. Or enjoy cold!
Nutrition
Calories 348, Fat 22.1 grams, Monounsaturated Fat 15800 milligrams, Fiber 2.3 grams, Vitamin C 5 milligrams, Carbs 33.2 grams, Saturated Fat 3.1 grams, Sodium 428.2 milligrams, Sugar 1.6 grams, Calcium 28.3 milligrams, Protein 4.3 grams, Polyunsaturated Fat 2400 milligrams, Potassium 151.2 milligrams, Vitamin A 7.5 milligrams, Iron 2.3 milligrams