Traditional Cypriot Flaounes Recipe

On Holy Thursday (3 days before Easter) Cypriot households make traditional Flaounes. This Cypriot cheese-filled pastry filled with ground mahlepi in the dough which gives a hint of almond flavor.

Ingredients

Ingredients for the dough:

•    750 g hard wheat flour

•    60 g olive oil

•    1 teaspoon dry active yeast

•    400 g water

•    pinch of salt

Ingredients for the filling:

•    500 g sweet gruyere cheese

•    200 g grated halloumi cheese

•    1 teaspoon dried mint leaves or lemon balm leaves

•    1 teaspoon mastic

•    1 teaspoon machlepi

•    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•    200 g raisins

•    3 eggs

•    80 g granulated sugar

•    80 g fine semolina flour

Ingredients for serving:

•    honey

•    cinnamon

•    egg for brushing and sesame for sprinkling

Preparation

1.    In a bowl, mix the yeast  with  water

2.    Add the olive oil, salt, water, and the flour, mix all the ingredients for the dough until it is soft and elastic. Cover with a towel and allow it to rest for at least 1 hour.

3.    Preheat the oven to 200 ^οC (Fan mode).

4.    Mix all the ingredients for the filing in a bowl.

5.    Divide the dough into 3 pieces.

6.    Roll out each piece to a 3 cm thickness.

7.    Cut into small square pieces (20×20 cm).

8.    Add the filling* in the middle of each square.

9.    Fold the two opposite sides of the square inward.

10.    In the same way, fold the other two sides and with a fork push the corners to get stuck.

11.    Bake them for 25 minutes.

12.    You can serve them hot with honey and cinnamon.

Tips

*the filing must be 80g

You can create a square or rectangular “nest”. Brush the tops with egg and sprinkle with some sesame seeds to make them look more appealing!!