Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread

Despite being a simple homemade bread, it looks great on any table, festive or not. For this recipe, I got my inspiration from the Balkan cuisine. In fact, it's called "Holiday Bread" or "Holiday Pogaca" and I noticed there are many variations and shapes. I was impressed by this particular variant, firstly, because it's truly beautiful and, of course, because of my passion for everything that's simple.

You can place the bread in the middle of the table and everyone breaks a piece from it, no need to cut it and that's the charm. And let me tell you that each piece has a soft core and beautiful layers, butter flavoured and extremely fluffy. I actually did not expect such texture.

In conclusion, I definitely recommend making this bread on festive occasions or just create occasions to enjoy something beautiful and delicious!

Ingredients
Bakers yeast
25 g
or 15g dry yeast
Milk
250 ml
slightly heated
Sugar
0.5 tsp
White flour
600 g
Salt
1 tsp
Egg
3 pieces
+ 1 yolk to brush the top with
Honey
1 tbsp
Olive oil
2 tbsp
Vinegar
0.5 tsp
Melted butter
100 g
Sesame/poppy seeds
1 tsp
for garnish, optional
Step by step
Step 1

In a bowl, dissolve the yeast and half a teaspoon of sugar in 100ml of warm milk.

Set aside for 10-15 minutes until frothy.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 1
Step 2

Meanwhile, we prepare the rest of the ingredients. Dissolve the honey in the remaining 150ml of warm (not hot!) milk.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 2
Step 3

In a large bowl, combine together flour, eggs, milk, honey, salt, oil, vinegar and the yeast mixture.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 3
Step 4

Stir with a spatula or a spoon until the dough begins to come together.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 4
Step 5

Lightly dust with flour and knead with your hands, for about 5-10 minutes until it no longer sticks, but it's soft and elastic.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 5
Step 6

Leave the dough in the bowl in a warm place, covered with a towel, for one hour or until it doubles its size.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 6
Step 7

After this time, turn the dough out onto the table dusted with flour and divide into eight equal pieces.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 7
Step 8

Shape into balls and let rest on the table for five minutes.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 8
Step 9

Take each ball and spread out into a small rectangular sheet.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 9
Step 10

Grease with butter and overlap two sheets, one on top of the other.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 10
Step 11

Roll them up together. See how it's done in the picture, it's the length of the rectangle that we roll.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 11
Step 12

And so, from the eight balls, we get four logs, greased with butter inside.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 12
Step 13

Cut away the ends, about 3-4 cm long - we'll get eight rosettes.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 13
Step 14

Grease with butter a springform pan (28cm), lined with baking paper.

Arrange these eight rosettes in the middle of the tray.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 14
Step 15

Then cut each remaining log into 4-5 triangles.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 15
Step 16

Take them altogether and arrange in the pan around the rosettes.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 16
Step 17

Do the same with all the logs. Cut into triangles, then move to the pan. Arrange evenly.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 17
Step 18

This is our bread. Allow it to rise for 30-40 minutes, covered with a towel.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 18
Step 19

Finally, it should look like this. It rises nicely, filling up all the empty spaces.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 19
Step 20

In a bowl, beat the raw egg yolk with one tablespoon of milk.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 20
Step 21

Grease the top of the bread with this mixture.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 21
Step 22

Sprinkle over with poppy and sesame seeds, if you have and like.

Place the bread in the preheated oven at 160-170 degrees C for 40-45 minutes.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 22
Step 23

After you remove from the oven, let sit in the pan for 15 minutes.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 23
Step 24

Remove the sides of the pan. Brush with butter on top and on the sides.

Cover with a towel and allow to cool completely.

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 24
Step 25

It stays just as fluffy on the first and second day. It won't last longer :)

Enjoy!

Serbian Pogaca Butter Bread - Step 25
Quantity: 1 kg (10-12 servings)
Prep time:
120 min
Difficulty: easy
Ready in: 90 min