Ladenia (Λαδένια)
Sep 10th, 2009 | By Peter Minakis | Category: Appetizer, Baking, Bread, Greek, Meze, Recipe, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Sometimes you want something lighter…Ladenia from the island of Kimolos is just what summer ordered (orig. posted July 2008)
Doesn’t this look an awful lot like a pizza? This is the specialty that comes from the Greek island of Kimolos.
Each Greek island can boast of a specialty dish (and I’m going to enjoy trying each & every one of them) but for now, let’s focus on Ladenia from Kimolos.
It’s a pizza crust that’s allowed to rise, then treated with olive oil, followed by a topping of sliced onions and very ripe tomatoes. The finishing touches are coarse sea salt, black pepper and the fabulously pungent dry Greek oregano.
Laurie of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska is the lady responsible for bringing Ladenia to my attention and from a brief search on the internet – to several others.
I’m not going to toy much with this recipe – I’m sticking to the pizza dough, oil, onions, seasonings and herb combo. Simple is best here. Your choosing of quality ingredients will shine through when you taste the finished product.
Some key factors in making a good Ladenia:
- Allow the dough to rise at least a half hour to thicken up. I’m a thin-crust pizza kinda’ guy but thick works best here. The olive oil and juices from the onions and tomatoes will provide ample flavour.
- Choose ripe, not too watery tomatoes. No matter how long you bake (roast) them, a shit tomato will still taste like well, “skata”.
- Use regular olive oil when covering the dough and then drizzle the primo, good extra-virgin olive oil just as the Ladenia comes out of the oven.
- Top off with dried Greek oregano. Again, it’s the one herb that’s superior dried (rather than fresh).
Eat this as a lighter lunch, make a large Ladenia for a party as offer as an appetizer or snack but do make it. This was a big hit throughout the household – I know it will be in yours too!
Ladenia (ΛαδÎνια)
For the Dough
1 cup warm water
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/8 cup olive oil
1 heaping tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
Approx. 3 – 3 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
Topping
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
2 large tomatoes, cut in half then cut into half-moon slices
coarse sea salt
ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. dry Greek oregano
extra-virgin olive oil (for finishing)
Pre-heated 400F oven
- In a large bowl, add your yeast, sugar, and warm water and allow about 7-10 minutes to activate (as evidenced with the bubbling). Now add your salt and olive oil add about 2 cups of flour into the mixture. Keep on adding flour while kneading on a floured work surface until your dough is pliable and no longer sticks to your hands. NOTE: (flour amounts vary from 3 to 3 1/4 cups flour, depending on the weather you are experiencing and how the flour and yeast react.
- Spread some olive oil on your round baking pan and sprinkle some fine semolina flour. Roll out your pizza dough to the approx. circumference of your pan and allow the dough to rise for about 30 minutes in a warm spot in the home. You may now preheat your oven.
- Pour and evenly spread the olive oil over your dough, followed by spreading out the sliced onions all over area of the Ladenia. Now top with your tomato slices, coarse sea salt, black pepper and dry Greek oregano.
- Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 40 45 minutes until the edges have just browned and the top has a light brown colour.
- Serve hot or cold, as a meal or a snack.
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I’m a thick crust gal, so this is right up my alley.
Now, I’m no big pizza fan, being no fan of red sauce, but this looks good! Similar to white pizza. I wonder how the thick crust will sell in my household?
I have had trouble with fresh tomatoes releasing too much water and making pizza crust soggy but this method of a relatively low temperature (well, lower than most pizza) for a longer time, and with a thick crust, seems that it would solve the problem nicely. That’s one gorgeous pie (am I allowed to call it a pie?)
Peter This looks better than any pizza, believe me!!! Is really yummy!!! xxxgloria I love the pictures too!!
Oh wow. This looks per4fect for me– I really dislike tomato sauce on pizza. I love the look of this!
This looks tasty. No cheese required.
Ladenia…I think I can like this stuff! Looks delicious
I love chewy crust, but very little sauce on top, so this looks ideal. Beautiful photos, too.
Peter, I’m glad you liked my ladenia recipe and decided to write about it. One thing though – I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count and I can tell you with absolute certainty that olive oil doesn’t burn if you use it to oil the baking ban and definitely adds positively to the flavor of the ladenia. I would never use vegetable oil when making ladenia. But as we all know, everyone does things differently and I wouldn’t mention it except for your assertion that olive oil can burn if you use it for oiling the pan, which just isn’t true.
This looks so great! My yiayia is going to be so impressed when I tell her about all these new Greek dishes I’ve never heard of, lol. Happy Candada Day!
Oh, this is gorgeous – those tomatoes look absolutely divine!
Looks beautiful and I’m sure it tastes even better! Happy Canada Day! One year, we happened to be in Niagara Falls for your holiday.
Beautiful! I so know what I’m going to make tomorrow!
Susan, it’s thick crust paradise all the way here.
Marjie, considering the thick crust, this was still verrrry flavourful.
Susan, you may certainly call it a pie and I do think the crust would hold up to watery tomatoes.
Gloria, it’s a nice, lighter variety, thank you as always.
Ann, this is a very simple dish, focusing on the little ingredients and succeeding with great taste.
Kevin, the temptation was there but I’m glas I resisted.
Hi Sharon and welcome…I’ll be making this again soon!
Lydia, it did photograph rather nicely – it tasted as good as it looked.
Laurie, the Ladenia was easy to make and a joy to eat, I’ll make it again soon. As for olive oil vs. veg oil, I used veg. oil based on my experiences of baking pites and pizzas and olive can burn underneath so, that’s why I used veg. oil here. I’ll take your word for it and try treating the “tapsi” with olive oil next time.
Elly, there’s still lots of regional Greek dishes out there to discover.
Jen, the tomatoes were sweet, hint of tartness.
Lisa, thanks and yes this tasted as good as it looked.
Lulu, you’ll be well rewarded.
Peter, this looks so delicious. I like the name too – sounds exotic:) It does remind me of pizza but I am sure there is a nice Greek touch to it. Yum!
Very nice! Thank you for the recipe.
That looks amazing!
Peter – thats just right up my alley – thanks! i’ve only recently (about a week) ago started making my own pizza dough, so i’m really excited to try this one out! It looks amazing!
This is so gorgeous! I happen to love thick pizza crust so this would be perfect.
That last photo looks like there is feta in there somewhere, but you say not….I think we just all assume that a pizza has cheese, but tomato, onion with olive oil….I like this already!!!
That last photo looks like there is feta in there somewhere, but you say not….I think we just all assume that a pizza has cheese, but tomato, onion with olive oil….I like this already!!!
That last photo looks like there is feta in there somewhere, but you say not….I think we just all assume that a pizza has cheese, but tomato, onion with olive oil….I like this already!!!
That last photo looks like there is feta in there somewhere, but you say not….I think we just all assume that a pizza has cheese, but tomato, onion with olive oil….I like this already!!!
That last photo looks like there is feta in there somewhere, but you say not….I think we just all assume that a pizza has cheese, but tomato, onion with olive oil….I like this already!!!
That last photo looks like there is feta in there somewhere, but you say not….I think we just all assume that a pizza has cheese, but tomato, onion with olive oil….I like this already!!!
That last photo looks like there is feta in there somewhere, but you say not….I think we just all assume that a pizza has cheese, but tomato, onion with olive oil….I like this already!!!
That last photo looks like there is feta in there somewhere, but you say not….I think we just all assume that a pizza has cheese, but tomato, onion with olive oil….I like this already!!!
That last photo looks like there is feta in there somewhere, but you say not….I think we just all assume that a pizza has cheese, but tomato, onion with olive oil….I like this already!!!
Oh lawd, this looks like my kind of pizza. I love just simple tomato and onion, especially now that tomatoes are really getting good.
I’m a vegetarian this week to purge some of the salt and pork fat from my system after a week or two of debauchery, so this looks like a perfect weeknight dinner to me. You probably think I’m joking but I haven’t eaten any meat (except fish) since Friday. Stop the press!
It does look like pizza! It is pizza!
I love this informative series you have, this one and that Cretan bagel.
nice pizza – a few red or green peppers will give it that little oomph over the tomato
Mmmmmm…..Greece
Farida, Greeks definitely prefer thick crust and they do eat a lot of pizza too!
Farmer Jen, you’re welcome.
Hi Amanda…thanks and welcome.
Arundathi, make your own dough is easy…you’ll see!
Panda, give this a whirl…you’ll be surprised at how flavourful it is.
Nina, no feta…trust the simplicity of the Ladenia…no cheese needed.
Heather, nothing wrong with a little fast, cleansing (with some seafood in the mix). Now don’t be doin’ a seafood boil!
JS, the Neopolitans wouldn’t call this a pizza, which is fine by me but it tasted wonderful.
Val, MMMM – indeed.
this is clearly superior to pizza, which i find is often abused by adding too much cheese. plus, those tomatoes are gorgeous and so very enticing.
maybe i’m adopted and actually greek after all…wishful thinking.
Wow chico! Yeah, it looks like pizza and it has no CHEESE… this is my kind of dish!!!!!!
I’m cooking this one soon, bet you!!!
Sorry boy for not commenting on all your posts, I’m really late to every blog
. Please don’t take it bad… you know you are my favourite greek food blogging Chico 
Better than pizza! A nice thick crust with lots of “ladi” is right up my alley! Looks great Peter .
greek pizza? Sounds good to me!
Perfect with all these amazing tomatoes in season right now!
NICE! I would probably eat the whole pie!
oh and for my Chocolate banana wontons..I did have a bit of an issue on the amount I ate..After shoveling a bunch in my mouth I finally had to dup them in the sink and pour water in them so they would get ruined and I wouldnt be able to eat them anymore! LOL! I have issues!!
Amazing! It does indeed look like a pizza… Very appetizing and interesting!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amazing! It does indeed look like a pizza… Very appetizing and interesting!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amazing! It does indeed look like a pizza… Very appetizing and interesting!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amazing! It does indeed look like a pizza… Very appetizing and interesting!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amazing! It does indeed look like a pizza… Very appetizing and interesting!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amazing! It does indeed look like a pizza… Very appetizing and interesting!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amazing! It does indeed look like a pizza… Very appetizing and interesting!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amazing! It does indeed look like a pizza… Very appetizing and interesting!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amazing! It does indeed look like a pizza… Very appetizing and interesting!
Cheers,
Rosa
Should be a real treat for pizza lovers!
This looks great. I tend to think it only looks like pizza until you get a closer look, but then again I’m really uptight about pizza! I can almost smell it cooking right now….
Ooooh, I’m a deep dish girl, myself…..this looks fabulous — tomatoes and onions together are one of my favorite combinations. Nicely done as usual, Peter!