Veka is a type of elongated white bread used in Czech cuisine especially for Chlebíčky.
Veka is white bread prepared in long loafs (like French baguette) from wheat, similar to Rohlíky only larger. It is used especially to prepare the open-face sandwiches called Chlebíčky and less often for other meals. Older veka can be dipped in egg and fried, used to make Houskový knedlík or in žemlovka.
Veka – Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g of plain flour (hladká mouka, see Czech Flour Guide)
- 75 ml of lukewarm water
- 75 ml of lukewarm milk
- 1 heaping tsp of dry yeast
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 1/4 tsp of sugar
- 1 tbsp of sunflower or rapeseed oil
Glaze
- 1/2 cup of water
- 2 tsp of salt
How to make Veka
In a small bowl, combine water and milk, add sugar and yeast and stir. Cover the bowl and let the starter rest in a warm place for 10 minutes, it should form foam.
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add oil and starter and knead with a wooden spoon for a while. When the dough gets less sticky, take it out of the bowl and continue kneading by hand on the table. Knead until you don’t see any lumps and the dough is soft and elastic. Place it back in the bowl, sprinkle with some flour to prevent from drying out and cover the bowl. Let it raise until it approximately doubles in volume.
Roll out the dough in a rectangle not less than 1 cm thick. Roll it from one long side to the other. Close the ends. Place veka on a baking tray, cover with a towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Place a heat-proof pot filled with water at the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 240°C. Combine 1/2 cup of water and 2 tbsp of salt.
Just before placing veka in the oven, glaze it with salt water. Place the tray in the oven and lower the temperature to 200°C. Bake for 15 minutes, glaze again and bake for 3 more minutes.
Take it out of the oven and let it cool down.
