Name: Belokranjska pogača
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: serves 6 people
Cuisine: Slovenian
Ingredients: 120 ml (1/2 cup) water, for yeast; 1/2 tsp sugar; 10 g (1 tablespoon) instant dry yeast; 180 ml (3/4 cup) water, for dough; 500 g (4 cups + 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour; 8 g (1 tsp) salt; 1 egg, for egg wash; one pinch of coarse sea salt; 1/2 tsp caraway seeds

Belokranjska pogača

Belokranjska pogača is a fluffy, soft, and super delicious bread. For this traditional Slovenian recipe, you will find well-written instructions about which ingredients to use, how to make the dough, and how many incisions the bread should have. You can find everything in this blog post too. Interestingly, you should never cut this bread but tear it apart. That’s why we must make the incisions before baking so guests can get their fair share of this magnificent pogača. This delicious treat is an appetizer or snack for special occasions, holidays, or weekends. It was often served with cold cuts and other tasty appetizers.

Traditional Slovenian bread - Belokranjska pogača

These are the top reasons you should make this wonderful recipe at home.

traditional Slovenian bread
fluffy, soft bread with a gorgeous crust sprinkled with caraway and sea salt
golden-brown exterior
the smell of this baked goodie is so good
serve as a side dish, snack, for celebrations, special occasions, or weekend treats
with traditional seven incisions
perfect for hosting large gatherings

Storing and freezing

Feel free to store Belokranjska pogača in two ways.

Feel free to keep it in a bread bag or basket at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Feel free to freeze the Belokranjska pogača. Cut into slices and place in the freezer bags. Place in the freezer for up to a month.

How to make Belokranjska pogača at home (video)

Check this quick video to master making Belokranjska pogača at home. This recipe is made in collab with slovenia.si.

Next, try these delicious homebaked goods

METHOD

yeast

Add 120 ml (1/2 cup) of lukewarm water, yeast, and sugar to a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside for 5 minutes for the yeast to activate.
dough

Add all the ingredients: yeast mixture, the rest of the water, flour, and salt to a bowl (or a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.) Knead into a smooth and elastic mixture. Knead for 5 minutes with a stand mixer or 8 - 10 minutes by hand. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a kitchen towel or a large bowl and set aside. Proof for 20 minutes at room temperature or until doubled in size. Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Place a pizza stone on top (if you have one), and preheat the oven to 220 °C / 430 °F.
shape

Shape the dough on the parchment paper. Using your hand, shape the dough into a round 30 cm (12-inch) disk with a thickness of 1 - 2 cm (up to 3/4 inch). The dough is thinner on the edges than it is in the center and shouldn't touch the baking sheet.
incisions

Using a dough scraper or cutter, make incisions in the dough. Press the dough, cut it only some of the way through. First, create a long incision in the middle of the dough, then make three incisions on each side, about 2 inches apart, to get a criss-cross pattern. Brush the dough with an egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and caraway seeds.
bake

Place the baking sheet with pogača into the preheated oven. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes at 220 °C / 430 °F or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Belokranjska pogača