Soft Garlic Bread aka Ukrainian Garlic Pampushki

As someone who grew up in Ukraine, I can’t imagine eating rich hearty borscht without pillowy soft Ukrainian Garlic Pampushki (Pampushki – plural, Pampushka – singular). It’s one of those food combinations that work so well together they become everyone’s favorite staple. I’m not an exception. Every time I’m planning to make borscht you can be sure that pampushki are coming as well.

What’s Ukrainian Pampushki?

Pampushki are basically a Ukrainian version of dinner rolls. The main difference is that we smeared them with a generous layer of minced garlic, sunflower oil, and chopped fresh dill. In Ukraine, Pampushki are rarely served without borscht.

Tips & Tricks for the Softest Pampushki

1. To make pampushki extra soft, make the dough using whole milk instead of water.
2. Don’t rush the dough, leave it in the warm place and let it double in size. Also, let the pampushki proof the second time for about 30 minutes before baking them. They should double in size once again.
3. For the most authentic flavor, I recommend using sunflower oil instead of other vegetable oils. And don’t shy away from using a couple of extra cloves of garlic!

If you are ready to bake this delicious garlic bread think also about cooking this delicious Vegetarian Borscht. You’ll get yourself a real Ukrainian dinner. Just don’t forget sour cream!

Soft Garlic Bread aka Ukrainian Garlic Pampushki

Recipe by Srima Khara

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

2

hours 

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calorieskcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup lukewarm whole milk

• 2 teaspoon sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

• 2 eggs

• 5 tablespoon oil divided, plus more for greasing

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 cloves garlic minced

• 3 tablespoons chopped dill

• 1 teaspoon coarse salt to topping

Directions

• In a large bowl, whisk the warm milk, sugar, and yeast; let stand until foamy and bubbly for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in one egg, 3 tablespoons of oil, flour, and salt. Continue kneading with hands for a minute or two, until the dough is supple and pliable. Lightly grease the bowl with oil and place the dough; cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubles in size.
• Grease two 9-inch baking dishes with oil. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and arrange on a baking dish, 8 balls per dish. Make sure to leave 1/2-inch space between them. Cover both dishes with towels and let the dough rise one more time, for about 30 minutes or until it doubles in size.
• Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly beat the remaining egg in a small bowl. Brush the top of the bread with the egg wash and send it to the oven. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the crust is deep golden brown.
• Meanwhile, mix together 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil, minced garlic, and dill. Remove the bread from the baking pan, brush with the garlic oil and let sprinkle with a pinch of coarse salt. Let cool on a wire rack. This bread tastes best the same day.