Loska

Two ingredients. That’s it. Mashed potatoes and flour come together into a simple dough that rolls out thin and bakes into a tender, slightly chewy flatbread. Loska is Eastern European peasant bread at its most stripped-down, and it’s been paired with meatless soups for generations.

The ratio matters more than a recipe here. The dough should feel smooth and pliable, not sticky or crumbly. Start with half a cup of flour and add more only if the mashed potatoes are too wet. Every batch of mashed potatoes is different, so go by feel rather than strict measurement.

Rolling the dough to ⅛ inch thickness is key. Too thick and the loska comes out doughy in the center. Too thin and it crisps up like a cracker and breaks apart. Pricking the surface with a fork before baking prevents the flatbread from puffing into bubbles.

Brush each piece with butter the moment it comes out of the oven. Browned butter adds a nutty richness that plain butter can’t match and turns this humble flatbread into something you’ll eat on its own.

Chef Tips

• Use cold mashed potatoes, not warm. Warm potatoes make the dough sticky and hard to roll.
• Keep the rolling surface well floured. Potato dough sticks more than regular bread dough.
• Bake directly on the bottom of the oven or on the lowest rack for the best browning.
• Flip once after 7 minutes. The second side cooks faster, so watch it closely.

Variations

• Add a clove of roasted garlic to the mashed potatoes for a subtly savory version.
• Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and fresh dill after buttering for a more finished look.
• Use sweet potatoes instead of white for a sweeter, more colorful flatbread.