Bread, that humble and wholesome staple of life, has been the companion of mankind since the dawn of civilization. From the ancient Egyptians who first leavened their loaves with wild yeast, to the medieval peasants who subsisted on coarse and dark rye bread, to the modern bakers who craft artisanal and diverse varieties of bread, the history of Europe is intertwined with the history of European breads.
Bread has nourished the body and soul of countless generations, and has witnessed the rise and fall of empires, the glory and misery of wars, the splendor and squalor of cities, and the joys and sorrows of individuals.
Bread, however, is not only a food, but also a symbol. A symbol of wealth and poverty, of abundance and scarcity, of generosity and greed, of justice and oppression, of faith and superstition. Bread has inspired revolutions and rebellions, riots and reforms, protests and prayers. Bread has been the cause of strife and the means of peace, the object of envy and the gift of charity, the mark of distinction and the sign of equality. Bread has been revered as sacred and profaned as sinful, blessed as holy and cursed as evil.
Bread is no more and no less than life itself. A mixture of ingredients, some sweet and some bitter, some simple and some complex, some common and some rare. A process of transformation, from dough to bread, from seed to harvest, from potential to actuality.
A cycle of creation and destruction, of growth and decay, of birth and death. A balance of opposites, of light and dark, of soft and hard, of crust and crumb. A means to savor every life in every bite, to share it with others, and to be grateful for it.
Here, now, are the great breads of Europe.
List of European Breads
Pumpernickel
Pumpernickel is a dark and dense rye bread from Germany that is traditionally made with sourdough starter and coarsely ground rye. It has a slightly sweet and sour flavor and a long shelf life.
Knäckebröd
Knäckebröd is a Swedish flatbread that is thin, crisp, and usually made with rye flour. It can be topped with cheese, butter, jam, or other spreads. It is also known as crispbread or hard bread.
Ciabatta
Ciabatta is a soft and chewy Italian bread that has a porous crumb and a crisp crust. It is made with wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes olive oil. It is often used for sandwiches or dipped in olive oil and vinegar.
Focaccia
Focaccia is a flat and fluffy Italian bread that is similar to pizza dough. It is usually seasoned with olive oil, salt, herbs, and sometimes cheese, olives, or tomatoes. It can be eaten as a snack or as a side dish.
Baguette
Baguette is a long and thin French bread that has a crispy crust and a soft crumb. It is made with wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt. It is often sliced and served with butter, cheese, or jam, or used for sandwiches.
Burek
Burek is a flaky and savory pastry from the Balkans that is made with thin layers of phyllo dough filled with cheese, meat, spinach, or potatoes. It can be shaped into spirals, cylinders, or triangles. It is usually eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
Challah
Challah: A braided and slightly sweet bread from Jewish cuisine that is traditionally eaten on Sabbath and holidays. It is made with wheat flour, eggs, oil, sugar, yeast, and salt. It can be topped with sesame or poppy seeds.
Croissant
Croissant is a buttery and crescent-shaped pastry from France that is made with laminated dough that consists of multiple layers of dough and butter. It has a flaky texture and a rich flavor. It can be eaten plain or filled with chocolate, cheese, ham, or jam.
Pretzel
Pretzel is a twisted and knot-shaped bread from Germany that has a shiny and dark crust and a soft interior. It is made with wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes sugar. It is boiled in water with baking soda before baking. It can be sprinkled with salt, seeds, cheese, or cinnamon sugar.
Soda bread
Soda bread is a quick and easy bread from Ireland that is made with wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. It has a dense crumb and a slightly tangy flavor. It can be flavored with raisins, caraway seeds, or herbs.
Zopf
Zopf is a braided and slightly sweet bread from Switzerland that is made with white flour, milk, eggs, butter, and yeast. It is often eaten for Sunday breakfast with butter, jam, cheese, or honey.
Lángos
Lángos is a deep-fried flatbread from Hungary that is made with flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes potatoes. It has a crispy outside and a soft inside. It can be topped with sour cream, cheese, garlic, or jam.
Tijgerbrood
Tijgerbrood is a Dutch bread that has a crackled crust patterned like a tiger’s skin. It is made with wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and rice paste. The rice paste is brushed on the dough before baking and causes the crust to split and curl.
Ruisreikäleipä
Ruisreikäleipä is a Finnish rye bread that has a small hole in the middle. It is made with rye flour, water, sourdough starter, and salt. The hole allows the bread to be hung on poles to dry and preserve it for long periods of time.
Pão de água
Pão de água is a Portuguese bread that has a thin crust and a moist crumb. It is made with wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes sugar. It has a thin crust and a moist crumb. It is often eaten with butter, cheese, ham, or jam.
Borodinsky bread
Borodinsky bread is a dark and sour rye bread from Russia that is flavored with coriander seeds, molasses, and malt. It has a dense crumb and a rich aroma. It is usually sliced thinly and eaten with butter, cheese, or smoked fish.
Fougasse
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Fougasse is a flat and leaf-shaped bread from Provence, France that is made with wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and olive oil. It is often slashed to create holes and decorated with herbs, olives, cheese, or nuts. It has a crisp crust and a chewy crumb. It can be eaten as a snack or as an accompaniment to soups or salads.
Pita
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Pita is round and flatbread from Greece that is made with wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes sugar or milk. It is baked at a high temperature until it puffs up and forms a pocket. It can be stuffed with various fillings such as meat, cheese, vegetables, or hummus.
Simit
Simit is a ring-shaped bread from Turkey that is made with wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and molasses. It is dipped in sesame seeds before baking. It has a crunchy crust and a soft interior. It can be eaten plain or with cheese, jam, or olives.
Stollen
Stollen is a fruit bread from Germany that is traditionally eaten during Christmas. It is made with wheat flour, butter, eggs, yeast, sugar, dried fruits, nuts, and spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It is shaped into a long loaf and dusted with powdered sugar. It can be filled with marzipan or almond paste.
Tortilla de trigo
Tortilla de trigo is a thin and round flatbread from Spain that is made with wheat flour, water, salt, and sometimes baking powder or lard. It is cooked on a griddle until it develops brown spots. It can be used to wrap various fillings such as cheese, ham, eggs, or potatoes.
Bara brith
Bara brith: A sweet bread from Wales that is made with self-raising flour, dried fruits, brown sugar, mixed spice, and tea. The dried fruits are soaked in tea overnight before being mixed with the other ingredients. The bread is baked in a loaf pan and brushed with honey or marmalade. It can be eaten sliced and buttered.
Babka
Babka: A sweet yeast bread from Poland and Ukraine that is usually filled with chocolate, cinnamon, or cheese. It has a twisted shape and a rich texture. It can be topped with streusel, icing, or nuts. It is often eaten for breakfast or dessert.
Soda farls
Soda farls: A quick bread from Northern Ireland that is made with plain flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. The dough is shaped into a round disc and cut into four triangles. The farls are cooked on a griddle until they are golden on both sides. They can be eaten hot or cold with butter, jam, or cheese.
Panettone
Panettone is a sweet and festive bread from Italy that is usually eaten during Christmas and New Year. It is made with wheat flour, eggs, butter, sugar, yeast, raisins, candied fruits, and sometimes chocolate or nuts. It has a dome shape and a light and fluffy texture. It can be eaten plain or with mascarpone cheese or cream.
Rugbrød
Rugbrød is a dark and dense rye bread from Denmark that is made with rye flour, water, sourdough starter, salt, and sometimes seeds or grains. It has a sour and slightly bitter flavor and a long shelf life. It is usually sliced thinly and used for open-faced sandwiches with various toppings such as cheese, meat, fish, or eggs.
Brioche
Brioche is a rich, buttery bread from France that is made with wheat flour, eggs, butter, sugar, yeast, and salt. It has a golden crust and a soft crumb. It can be shaped into loaves, rolls, or braids. It can be eaten plain or with jam or chocolate spread.
Sourdough
Sourdough is a type of bread that is made with flour, water, and sourdough starter, which is a mixture of flour and water that contains natural yeast and bacteria. The sourdough starter gives the bread a tangy flavor and a chewy texture. Sourdough bread can be made with various types of flour such as wheat, rye, spelt, or buckwheat.
Pogača
Pogača is a round flatbread from the Balkans that is made with wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes milk, eggs, butter, or cheese. It has a soft and fluffy texture. It can be plain or filled with cheese, meat, potatoes, or spinach.
Korvapuusti
Korvapuusti is a cinnamon roll from Finland that is made with wheat flour, milk, butter, sugar, yeast, cardamom, and salt. The dough is rolled out and spread with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. It is then rolled up and cut into slices. The slices are pressed down with a thumb to create an ear-like shape. They are baked until golden and sprinkled with pearl sugar.
Additional Resources
South American Breads
