Ladenia, The Greek Pizza

What is Ladenia?

Ladenia or olive oil pie is an easy, traditional Greek pizza recipe from the island of Kimolos. The recipe was created with Venetian influences. The island was under Venetian rule in the Middle Ages. The recipe was based on the few products produced by Kimolos at the time.

It is a vegan pizza since it has no cheese. It is also perfect for Greek Lent with the absence of dairy and animal products.

In Greece, we love dipping bread to our salad; it is such a treat. The juice from the tomatoes and onions, mixed with olive oil, is a bite made in heaven. We call it “papara,” which means soaked, as in bread soaked in the liquid. This is what this pizza reminds me of when I eat it. A delicious little bite of crusty bread dipped in my greek salad.

How to make Ladenia

You will need very few ingredients*.

• All-purpose flour. You can use bread flour or whole wheat flour as well. I have not tried this pizza with gluten-free flour.
• Active yeast.
• An onion cut in half and thinly sliced.
• Ripe tomatoes thinly sliced.
• Dried oregano.
• Sugar, just a tiny bit for the crust.
• Sea salt, freshly ground pepper.
• Extra virgin olive oil.

Optional toppings

• Sliced bell peppers, all colors
• Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

*Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Prepare the toppings

Mix the sliced tomatoes with the onions slices in a bowl. Add three or four tablespoons of oil, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Start the dough

Mix the warm water, 1 tsp sugar and 2 teaspoons active yeast in a cup. Set aside for about 15 minutes, until the mixture rises slightly and froths.

In a large and deep bowl, add the flour, sea salt, yeast mixture, and olive oil and knead for about 4-5 minutes until all the olive oil is absorbed and the dough is soft and elastic. 

Let the dough rest

Cover with cling film and set aside in a warm environment for about 1 hour until it rises and almost doubles in volume.

Assemble

Open the dough with your hands and fingers in a circle of about 14 inches/ 38 cm diameter.

Transfer it to a pizza peel if you have one; if not, transfer it directly to the pizza stone and assemble it there.

Add the tomatoes and onions all over the dough, leaving a small border around the pizza.

Sprinkle with oregano, coarse salt, and freshly ground pepper and bake for about 20-30 minutes until the onions are slightly caramelized on the surface and the dough is browned below.

Tips

• You can use store-bought pizza dough in a pinch to make this greek pizza.
• I love how versatile this recipe is. You can easily transform it to a non-vegan version with the addition of crumbled feta, olives, and some greens after baking. Add a handful of baby spinach or arugula on top, some goat cheese crumbles, and a sprinkle of extra virgin olive oil.
• Turn it into a regular pizza by adding mozzarella cheese under the tomatoes and onions before baking.

Check out my Greek pantry staples 

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