Ingredients
Dough
- 600 gstrong white flour
- 380 mlwarm water
- 10 gsalt
- 7 ginstant yeast
- 1 tbspsunflower oil
- 1 tspsugar
To finish
- flour, for dusting
- a little water or oil, to brush
Traditional serving
- coarse salt, in a dish on the loaf
Equipment
- a baking stone, or a heavy tray
- a sharp blade
Directions
- Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt, then work in the warm water and oil. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Prove for 1 hour 30 minutes until doubled. Shape it with real surface tension: cup your hands around it and drag it across the worktop several times to tighten the skin.
- Prove the shaped loaf for a further hour on a floured cloth or in a banneton. Heat the oven to 230°C (445°F) with a stone or heavy tray inside for a full 45 minutes.
- Put a tray of water in the bottom of the oven to make steam. The steam keeps the crust soft for the first minutes so the loaf can expand fully, and without it the crust sets early and the flap will not open.
- Turn the loaf out onto a floured peel and dust the top. Now cut the loaf: hold a sharp blade at a shallow angle, almost flat to the surface, and cut a curve around roughly two-thirds of the circumference, about 1.5 cm in from the edge.
- Cut it shallow-angled and confident, in one stroke. Cut about 1 cm deep and no deeper than that. Slide it onto the hot stone and bake 15 minutes with steam, then remove the water tray and bake a further 15 to 20 minutes.
- Brush the crust with a little water as it comes out if you want it soft, which is traditional.
- Cool it on a rack for at least an hour before cutting. In 2022 the word itself became a shibboleth in Ukraine, because Russian speakers find the particular combination of sounds difficult to pronounce naturally.
Technique
- It was a standard Soviet-era bakery loaf and is now made at home far more often.
- The flap can be shaped as a full circle or a partial one, and households differ.
- It keeps two or three days wrapped in a cloth.
Substitutions
- Part wholemeal flour, for a darker loaf.
- A heavy covered casserole in place of a stone and steam tray.
Variations
- Made with a sourdough starter rather than yeast.
- Korovai, the elaborate decorated wedding bread.
- With part rye flour, which is common in the north.
History
A ceremonial wheat loaf; in 2022 the word became a shibboleth in Ukraine because Russian speakers struggle to pronounce it.
Frequently asked questions
What is Palianytsia?
Palianytsia is a bread & pastry from Ukraine: round hearth loaf with a cut flap, offered with salt to guests. A ceremonial wheat loaf; in 2022 the word became a shibboleth in Ukraine because Russian speakers struggle to pronounce it.
How long does Palianytsia take to make?
Palianytsia takes 30 min plus 3 hr rising of preparation and 35 min of cooking. The recipe makes 1 large loaf. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Palianytsia?
Yes, within limits. Part wholemeal flour, for a darker loaf. A heavy covered casserole in place of a stone and steam tray.
