Flaounes - Cypriot Easter Cheese Pastries
Makes around 50-60
INGREDIENTS
For the pastry
1kg plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered mahlepi
1 teaspoon powdered mastic
200ml extra virgin oil
250ml cups tepid milk
14g dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
200ml tepid water
1 egg, beaten
For the filling
750g Cyprus flaouna cheese
2 blocks of mature or fresh halloumi cheese (about 500g)
100g pecorino romano
1 handful of fine semolina
80g flour
1 teaspoon powdered mastic
1 teaspoon powdered mahlepi
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups fresh chopped mint
2 teaspoons dried mint
400g raisins (optional)
10 eggs, beaten
For the coating
1 egg lightly beaten
300g white sesame seeds
20g black sesame seeds
1 teaspoon anise
METHOD
For the dough
1. Start by adding the yeast to the tepid milk and stir with a good pinch of sugar and let it activate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, add the flour, mehlepi, mastic, sugar and salt and run your fingers through to mix.
3. Form a well in the centre of the flour and pour the extra virgin olive oil and rub with your palms until you get a breadcrumb-like consistency. Add the yeast mixture and eggs and combine. Gradually add the water a little at a time until you have a rough dough. Depending on your flour, you may not need to use all of the water so pour it in parts.
4. Once you’ve combined the dough, knead for around 15 minutes until you have a smooth, elasticated dough.
5. Place the dough back into the bowl with a little olive oil to help it rise and cover with cling film and 4-5 tea towels, or do it proper Cypriot-village style with a blanket. Leave somewhere warm to rest for at least 1 hour, until doubled.
For the filling
1. The process for the filling begins 2 days before making the flaounes by finely grating the cheese. Add it to a large bowl and leave it in the fridge uncovered. A couple of times a day, give the cheese a mix to help dry it out. This will help with absorbing the eggs which will give you a beautiful fluffy filling. If you don’t manage to grate your cheese early, add a handful of fine semolina to help absorb the moisture.
2. The night before you make your flaounes, rinse your fresh mint and spread them on a towel to dry. Wash the raisins, soak them in boiling water for 20 minutes, drain and spread on a towel to dry. In a saucepan, add the sesame seeds, cover with water and boil for a minute and then wash and drain.
3. On the day you make the flaounes, remove the cheese from the fridge and bring it to room temperature. Place a tea towel on a tray and spread the sesame seeds and anise on top of the tea towel.
4. Into the cheese, add the mastic, mahlepi, sugar, flour, baking powder, raisins, mint and mix well. Pour a little bit of the beaten eggs at a time and mix until you’re able to form a ball that sticks together. You may not need to use all of the eggs so pour in small amounts and mix a little at a time. Once you've done that, cover the bowl with a towel and preheat the oven to 180°C fan forced.
5. Take a piece of your dough, keep the rest covered so that it doesn't dry out, and roll it out as thinly as you can. Use a saucer or small plate to cut discs. Place the discs flat in the sesame tray, lightly press with the palm of your hand and remove them from the tray, placing it sesame side up. Lightly roll with your rolling pin so it sticks, then turn them over.
6. Add a heaped tablespoon of the filling in the centre and fold the sides inwards into a rectangle, square or triangle, leaving a small window open at the top with the filling. Squeeze the corners firmly with a fork then space them out on a baking tray. Repeat until you have filled your baking tray and then brush the pastry with beaten egg. Finish off with a light sprinkle of sesame seeds on top of the cheese filling.
7. Bake your flaounes for 25-35 minutes, depending on your oven, until golden.
Nik’s Tips
- Start with a clean and tidy kitchen. Making flaounes is a process and might seem a little scary but I found maintaining a clean space makes it more enjoyable and less stressful.
- Grate your cheese 2 days before as they need to dry out a little so you get a fluffy filling.
- Have all your ingredients measured and ready before you begin.
- Start early, take your time, enjoy the process, have a cuppa or two and give it some love. If you’re giving this a go for the first time on your own, you’ll want to make it an enjoyable tradition rather than a strenuous chore, so stick your favourite tunes on and have fun. If you need a playlist, I’ve shared my kitchen tunes here.
Would love to know if you give this a go so please tag me on Instagram and share your flaounes with me.
Also happy to answer any questions you might have, feel free to stick them below x
