Yiayia Tallou’s Tsipopita/Katimeri – Cypriot Milk Skin Pastry with Spiced Almond Filling & Syrup (Τσιπόπιτα/Καττιμέρι της Γιαγιάς Ττάλλους)
Yiayia Tallou’s Tsipopita/Katimeri – Cypriot Milk Skin Pastry with Spiced Almond Filling & Syrup (Τσιπόπιτα/ Καττιμέρι της Γιαγιάς Ττάλλους)
A truly special Cypriot sweet that holds deep sentimental value in our family. This was one of my Yiayia Tallou’s signature bakes, espeically when she'd visit us in London. Tsipopita, also known as Katimeri, is a delicate rolled pastry filled with a spiced almond mix and tsipa (milk skin or dollop cream), then coiled, baked until golden and finished with fragrant syrup. The result is crisp, syrup-soaked pastry with warm notes of cinnamon, clove, and orange blossom. Every bite brings back memories watching my Yiayia Tallou work with calm precision.
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, rub the flour and oil together until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the vinegar and water. Knead until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- While the dough rests, combine all syrup ingredients (except the orange blossom water) in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the orange blossom water, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced. Divide the dough into two equal pieces.
- Lightly dust your surface and rolling pin with cornflour. Roll one piece of dough out as thinly as possible.
- Spread 4–5 teaspoons of tsipa over the dough. Sprinkle with the sugar and spice mix, then the almonds. Roll the dough up from the bottom, twist gently, and coil into a spiral. Place in the centre of a round greased baking dish.
- Repeat with the second piece of dough and wrap it around the first spiral to continue the coil. Brush the top with leftover tsipa and sprinkle any remaining almond mix.
- Bake for 60–70 minutes, until golden and crisp.
- Immediately pour the cold syrup over the hot pastry. Allow to cool completely and soak before slicing and serving.
Notes
Traditional tsipa (also known as ashta in the Middle East) is the cream that forms on the surface when full-fat milk is gently simmered. If you can’t source this, you can substitute with dollop cream, Danish-style cream, or even a thick, full-fat sour cream for a similar texture and richness.
