"Flaounes" - Easter cheese pies - can only be found in Cyprus. It's our number one Easter treat. I don't think there's a Cypriot who can do without flaounes for Easter! According to tradition, they're baked on Holy Friday to be enjoyed on Easter Day and the days to follow since this Holy Week is also a time to fast and prepare our body for the Holy Communion on Holy Saturday.
My flaounes look great, hope they're just as great in taste. Ah well, some are small and some are larger. This is not a problem!
For the dough
- 5 cups self-raising flour
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar (optional)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 6-7 cherry mahaleb grains
- 6-7 small mastic grains
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup oil
- 1.5 cup lukewarm milk
For the filling
- 1 kg flaouna cheese or any other hard cheese
- 1/2 cup semolina
- 1 piece yeast - the size of a large egge
- 6-8 eggs
- 6-7 small mastic grains
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- lots of fresh mint finely chopped
- 1 cup raisins (optional)
- 1 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1 egg for brushing
Directions
1.Grate the cheese one day in advance and place it in the fridge to dry. Stir once or twice.
2. Whisk the eggs for the filling and combine the cheese with the semolina.
3. Make a hole in the centre, place the yeast in it and on top add an egg.
4. Press and squeeze the yeast, egg and the cheese with your fingertips until the yeast is dissolved.
5. Add as many eggs as needed (about six) to make a rather firm mixture.
6. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside.
7. Make the dough by mixing the flour , baking powder, mastic and the cherry mahaleb pounded with 1 teaspoon sugar. Pour in the oil and rub into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Knead with as much milk as needed to make a rather fluffy dough.
8.Cover with a kitchen towel for half an hour. Before starting rolling out the dough, finish the filling by adding the mint, baking powder, raisins,, cherry mahaleb and the mastic pounded with 1 teaspoon sugar.
9. Stir well. Rinse the sesame seeds, drain and place on a kitchen towel.
10. Roll out the dough thinly to give a square shape of medium size.
11. Place each piece of dough on the sesame seeds and press on the bottom side only.
12. Put some filling in the centre of each piece and fold the four sides to form a square shape, leaving the filling in the centre uncovered!.
13. Place the flaounes on an ungreased, lightly floured baking tray and brush them with some beaten egg.
14. Bake for about 40 minutes in a pre-heated, moderately hot oven (160*C) until golden brown.
Adapted from : Cyprus Cooking for Friends by Sandra Lysandrou.
Useful Tips:
- Prepare the filling the day before and let it rest in the fridge. In this way, your flaounes filling will release all these wonderful aromas and spices.
- Do not push down the filling or cover it with the dough or else your flounes won't rise! The filing in the centre must remain uncovered!
- Do not overwork the dough as this may cause the gluten to develop and become bread-like.
- Remember, flaounes is not a kind of Easter bread as you may see on various food websites. It's a cheese pie - a very special Easter cheese pie.
- Flaounes can be stored in the freezer for 3 - 4 months.
- Flaounes is not a dessert. You can enjoy them with tea or coffee for breakfast or as an afternoon snack.
- Bear in mind that flaounes are packed with cholesterol! So, consume in moderation.
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