Ingredients
Dough
All-purpose flour 2 cups plus 1 Tbsp (305 g)
Granulated sugar 1 tsp
Sea salt 2 1/4 tsp (15 g)
Rum (light) 2 tsp (9 g)
Whole milk 2/3 cup (160 g)
Sour cream 1/3 cup (85 g)
Egg yolks 2 (30 g)
Instant yeast 2 1/2 tsp (9 g)
Unsalted butter, room temperature 1 Tbsp (15 g)
Filling
All-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp (5 g)
Unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp (135 g)
Lemon juice 1/2 tsp (5 g)
Chopped fresh dill 1 cup (25 g)
Egg Wash
Large egg 1
Egg yolk 1
Water 1 Tbsp
Directions
Make the Dough
1. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, rum, milk, sour cream, egg yolks, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the ingredients are well incorporated. When the dough is homogeneous, mix for 3 minutes to develop the gluten. The dough will be wet and sticky.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap it in plastic wrap, forming it into a square. Chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Make the Filling
1. Combine the flour, butter, lemon juice, and dill in a medium bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Set aside
Assemble and Bake the Pogácsa
1. Place the chilled dough on a well-floured work surface. Expect it to be very sticky. You may have to scrape it off the plastic wrap. Flour the top of the dough and roll it into a 12-by-10-in [30-by-25-cm] rectangle. Have a short edge facing you. Brush away any excess flour.
2. Visually divide the dough into thirds horizontally. Spread one-third of the filling evenly over the middle third of the dough. Fold the bottom third of the dough up and over the filling. Spread another one-third of the filling evenly over it. Fold the remaining top third of the dough down and over the filling.
3. Turn the dough 90 degrees. You’ll repeat the process in step 2. If your dough seems too compact to fold easily, gently roll it to make it slightly wider. Visually divide the dough into thirds horizontally. Spread half of the remaining filling evenly over the middle portion of the dough. Fold the top third of the dough over the filling. Spread the remaining filling over the recently folded dough. Fold the bottom third of the dough over the filling.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate it for 30 minutes before you begin the laminating process, which will make the pogácsa multilayered.
5. Place the chilled dough on a floured work surface. Flour the top and roll the dough to approximately 8 by 12 in [20 by 30 cm]. Have a long edge facing you. Brush away the excess flour. Visually divide the dough into thirds vertically. Fold the right third on top of the middle third. Fold the left third on top of the middle third.
6. Cover and let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Repeat step 5, then cover and let rest in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C].
8. Place the dough on your floured work surface, with the open edges toward you. Flour the top and roll the dough to approximately 1 in [2.5 cm] thick. Brush away the excess flour. Using a 21⁄2-in [6-cm] round cookie cutter, cut out the pogácsa. Line them up on a cookie sheet, leaving at least 1 in [2.5 cm] of space between them.
9. Gather the scraps of dough and gently form them back into a dough ball, working as minimally as possible. Flour the work surface and dough and roll it again to 1 in [2.5 cm] thick. Repeat step 9. This time, discard the remaining scraps.
10. Using a paring knife, gently draw light vertical lines and then light horizontal lines across the tops of your pogácsa. The result should be a cross-hatch marking on top. Make egg wash by beating together the egg, egg yolk, and water, and brush the tops of the pogácsa generously with it.
11. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The tops of the pogácsa should be a rich, golden color. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 12 2.5-in. (6-cm.) rolls.
Formulation courtesy of Zingerman's Bakehouse, Ann Arbor, M.I.
