Grilled bread with olive oil and oregano (Ψωμί στη σχάρα)
Thick cut country grilled bread with olive oil and oregano flavour.
Just when you thought bread couldn’t get any better, along comes this. If you have ever eaten in a Greek restaurant, either in Greece or elsewhere, you would have likely been served a basket of bread like this; thick cut slices of country bread brushed with olive oil and kissed with oregano, grilled so that they are at once crispy, toasty and yet still soft and able to sop up all sorts of deliciousness.
Often, this bread is served with a bit of tzatziki, or taramosalata. If you’re lucky, a bowl of olives and some feta also make an appearance. And, if you are super lucky, the basket keeps getting re-filled, even as you vow you will stop at just one piece so that you have room left over for your main course of souvlaki or bridjoles tiganites (fried pork chops). If you decide to order one of the lathera dishes on the menu (like green beans with potato stew) or a classic kokkinisto, perhaps of rooster (yes, rooster!), be sure to save at least one slice of bread. Dipped into the sauces left behind in these dishes, this grilled bread with olive oil and oregano becomes the vehicle for a party in your mouth.
There are some dishes that you may try at a restaurant that you feel would be too onerous to do at home, like moussaka or Greek-style cabbage rolls. Both of these are actually VERY do-able at home by the way, and we’ve got you covered with easy to follow recipes that you can find here: moussaka and here: cabbage rolls. Bread grilled with olive oil and oregano however is probably the easiest thing you can make that has the ability to transport you to a Greek taverna. So get some nice country bread, pull out the olive oil and oregano, fire up the grill, put on some bouzouki music, and say Opa!
Helpful hints
What kind of bread is best to use to make grilled bread with olive oil and oregano?
The best bread to use would be a large loaf of country bread, either homemade or store bought. If you go to a Greek bakery, ask for a fradzola (φραντζόλα). Ideally you want a bread with a firm crust and soft crumb.
Can I make extra pieces and save them for the next day?
Your grilled bread with olive oil and oregano will not spoil if you make it a day in advance, but it is best eaten warm, and soon after it is grilled.
Looking for some other great bread recipes? How about these:
No-knead bread with olives and feta
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Not much is more perfect than a perfect piece of grilled bread!
You’re correct! 🙂 We love bread this way! Thanks Dorothy!