A recipe for Baltic Fried Bread! Dark rye bread pieces are fried until crisp, then tossed with crushed garlic and salt.
While at the Freshfarm Mosaic Market recently, I picked up a loaf of Baltic Black Bread from RavenHook Bakehouse and was inspired to make Baltic Fried Bread after originally coming across the recipe in the cookbook, Baltic, by Simon Bajada.
Known as Kepta Duona in Lithuania, Ķiploku Grauzdiņi in Latvia, and Küüslauguleivad in Estonia, this delicious treat is the perfect snack for bringing life back to leftover bread.
Simply cut the rye bread into strips, fry in oil until crisp, then toss with crushed/minced garlic and salt while still warm.
Serve the Baltic Fried Bread immediately alongside beer or kvass. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day.
Baltic Black Bread
Black bread is full-bodied, dense rye bread known as Leib in Estonian, Juoda Ruginė Duona in Lithuanian, and Rupjmaize in Latvian.
RavenHook Bakehouse’s version is a dark rye bread with a sweet onion flavor and a poppy seed-coated crust. The dense crumb was perfect for holding up with the frying and tossing process without falling apart.
If unavailable, swap for a favorite rye bread with a similar dense crumb and thick crust.
I haven’t tried either of them yet, but The Rye Baker has a recipe for Lithuanian Black Rye Bread and Frog Mom has a recipe for Latvian Dark Rye Bread. You will also find recipes in Amber & Rye by Zuza Zak and Baltic by Simon Bajada.
A Few Baltic Fried Bread Tips
Cut the bread into same-sized strips so it cooks evenly. I personally cut the bread into 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeter) thick slices, then 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeter) wide strips.
Fry in batches so the bread doesn’t become crowded in the pan. The exact amount you can cook at once will depend on the size of your pan. For me, it took about 3 batches in a wide skillet.
If you use a darker rye, it will be more difficult to keep an eye on the color. Take care to not burn.
After frying, place the bread strips on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil and cool slightly.
For best results, crush the garlic with a garlic press. This will make it easier to rub into the bread. If you do not have a garlic press available, crush well with a knife and mince.
Rub the garlic into the bread while it is still warm. The flavor will absorb better.
If you really love garlic, toss in another clove. If you want a lighter flavor, decrease the amount to two cloves.
Oven Variation
While researching recipes online, I came across a few versions that baked the bread slices instead of frying them in oil. I still personally prefer the flavor of the fried version, but the oven is a good alternative.
In a large bowl, gently toss the black bread strips with about 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) sunflower or vegetable oil until evenly combined.
Arrange the strips in a single layer, not touching, and bake in a 425˚F (220˚C) oven until deeply golden and crisp around the edges, turning halfway, for about 10 minutes.
Transfer the baked strips to a bowl, toss with 3 cloves of crushed garlic and add salt to taste.
Serving Ideas
I paired the Baltic Fried Bread with a light dip by mixing about 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill with 1 cup (240 milliliters) sour cream along with generous pinches of salt and pepper.
In Lithuania, it can also be paired with cheese. Kepta duona su sūrio padažu is a variation covered in a cheese sauce.
A couple of the Latvian ķiploku grauzdiņi recipes I came across also toss the toast in mayonnaise.
Looking for more Baltic recipes?
Try my:
- Makaroni-Piimasupp (Estonian Pasta Soup with Milk)
- Kurzemes Strogonovs (Latvian Pork Stroganoff)
- Agurkai su Medumi (Lithuanian Cucumbers with Honey)
Baltic Fried Bread Recipe
Adapted from Baltic by Simon Bajada
Baltic Fried Bread
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (227 grams) Baltic black bread
- Sunflower or vegetable oil for frying
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut the black bread into 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeter) strips.
- In a wide saucepan, pour a thin layer of sunflower/vegetable oil about 1/2-1 inch (1.25-2.5 centimeters) deep and place over medium low heat.
- Cover a large plate with a paper towel. Set aside.
- Once the oil is thoroughly heated, add a few black bread strips in a single layer.
- Fry, turning occasionally, until all sides are deeply golden and the edges are crisp. Transfer to the towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining batches.
- Place the fried bread pieces in a large bowl while still warm and gently toss with the crushed garlic, rubbing the garlic into the sides of the bread, and a sprinkling of salt until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately.
Oksana
Hi. I remember my grandmother Nina used to make bread snacks similar to this! So delicious.
(I’m from country of Moldova)