How to Make Paximadia Bread Rusks | My Greek Table with Diane Kochilas

Diane explores the ancient grains that Greek cooks still love to use. Learn how to incorporate timeless ancient grains into every meal of the day.

My Greek Table is a journey through Greece’s mountains, islands, villages, and cities in search of the country’s most delicious, healthy recipes and raw ingredients. Diane Kochilas, the host of My Greek Table, is a native New Yorker who adopted Greece as her home more than two decades ago. With My Greek Table, Diane will shed light on one of the world’s oldest and healthiest cuisines.

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WE’RE DOING ONE OF THE MOST TRADITIONAL RECIPES TODAY WHICH IS A MIX OF FLOURS: BARLEY FLOUR, WHEAT FLOUR AND CORNMEAL. Virginia:[SPEAKING GREEK] DIANE: SHE SAID, I CAN START WITH ANY FLOUR. BARLEY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST INDIGENOUS GRAINS IN THIS PART OF THE MEDITERRANEAN, ESPECIALLY IN THE ISLAND OF CRETE. THE CORN IS A NEWCOMER BUT YOU FIND IT IN ALL SORTS OF UNEXPECTED PLACES IN THE GREEK KITCHEN. IT ADDS THAT, THAT SWEETNESS THAT CORN GIVES. THIS IS HEAVY. IT’S VERY HEAVY. [LAUGHS] ♪♪ [SPEAKING GREEK] Virginia: [SPEAKING GREEK] Diane: SHE’S MAKING A WELL IN THE FLOUR. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, THIS IS THE STARTER. WE CALL “PROZIMI” IN GREEK. AND IT HAS THIS GREAT, REALLY GREAT SOUR FLAVOR, THAT’S WHAT GIVES THE RUSKS THAT EARTHY FLAVOR. SO THERE’S ABOUT A POUND OF STARTER FOR THESE FIVE KILOS OF FLOUR. A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR, THE SUGAR HELPS THE YEAST FORM. SHE PUTS THE SALT IN THE FLOUR, NOT OVER THE STARTER. Virginia:[SPEAKING GREEK] Diane: A WHOLE GLASS OF OLIVE OIL, WOW. [LAUGHS] AND THE MOST ACCURATE MEASUREMENT OF ALL, AS MUCH WATER AS IT TAKES. [LAUGHS] THIS IS THE MOST ACCURATE MEASUREMENT IN GREECE. SHE DILUTES THE STARTER, AND THEN, YOU CAN SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING, SHE’S TAKING FLOUR FROM AROUND THE EDGES AND SLOWLY WORKING THAT IN. AND THIS IS THE REALLY TRADITIONAL WAY TO DO IT WITH YOUR FISTS, THAT’S HOW GREEK WOMEN KNEAD THEIR DOUGH. Virginia: [SPEAKING GREEK] Diane: KNEADING BREAD IS THE CHEAPEST SHRINK, TAKES A WHILE TO KNEAD 10 OR 12 POUNDS OF FLOUR. BUT ONCE YOU DO THIS, IF SOMETHING GOT ON YOUR NERVES OR YOU HAD SOME ANXIETY ABOUT SOMETHING YOU’VE KIND OF KNEADED IT ALL OUT. Virginia: [SPEAKING GREEK] Diane: [SPEAKING GREEK] SO SHE’S SAYING, SHE KNOWS IT’S READY WHEN THE DOUGH DOESN’T STICK TO HER FISTS. Virginia: [SPEAKING GREEK] Diane: [SPEAKING GREEK] [LAUGHS] IT DOESN’T STICK. SHE COVERS IT WITH A SHEET FIRST, A CLEAN SHEET, AND THEN, SHE WRAPS IT. THIS IS WOOL ACTUALLY, AND THAT KEEPS THE HEAT IN, AND THAT HELPS THE DOUGH TO RISE. AND THIS KIND OF KEEPS EVERYTHING WARM. THIS IS GONNA RISE NOW FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. ♪♪ Diane: [SPEAKING GREEK] I’M GONNA REVEAL THE DOUGH. OH WOW, IT’S REALLY RISEN. Diane: [SPEAKING GREEK] Virginia: [SPEAKING GREEK] ♪♪ [SPEAKING GREEK] Diane: SHE MAKES THE LOAF AND CUTS THROUGH IT, NOT ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM, BASICALLY SCORES IT. THESE WILL BE THE PAXIMADIA, IT’LL RISE, BAKE, AND THEN THESE PIECES, SHE CAN BREAK OFF MORE EASILY BECAUSE THEY’RE ALREADY MARKED. OUT OF THIS BATCH OF DOUGH HERE SHE SAID, SHE’S GONNA GET ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT LOAVES. ALL THE PAXIMADIA ARE SCORED AND SHAPED, THESE HAVEN’T EVEN GONE INTO THE OVEN YET FOR THE FIRST BAKING AND THEY ALREADY SMELL REALLY GOOD. AND SHE’S DOING SOMETHING THAT IS A REALLY, REALLY OLD TRADITION HERE. OLD BAKERS USED TO PUT LEMON LEAVES UNDER THE LOAVES BEFORE THEY GO INTO THE OVEN TO BAKE THE FIRST TIME THAT PERFUMES THE LOAVES. THEY’RE GONNA BAKE OFF FOR ABOUT 15 OR 20 MINUTES IN A REALLY HOT WOOD FIRED OVEN. ♪♪ SHE’LL PULL IT OUT OF THE OVEN WHEN THE BREAD IS STILL QUITE SOFT. [SPEAKING GREEK] VIRGINIA WILL BREAK APART THE PIECES. ♪♪ THE SOFT WEDGES GO BACK INTO AN OVEN THAT’S WARM, NOT FIRED UP, WARM, SO THEN THE RUSKS ACTUALLY DEHYDRATE, AND THAT’S REALLY THE WHOLE SECRET OF THE PAXIMADIA. IT’S A TRADITION THAT’S BEEN PART OF CRETE FOR PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF YEARS, AND IT’S STILL REALLY TIMELY AND REALLY DELICIOUS.