These Sourdough Einkorn Cypriot Flaounes are flavorful, Greek-style cheese pastries seasoned with unique Greek spices, and filled with a mixture of cheese, semolina, raisins, and spices. My version is naturally leavened and made completely with einkorn.
This month marks the 15th Anniversary of the Bread Baking Babes. Kelly of A Messy Kitchen, the host kitchen, chose Cypriot Flaounes as the monthly bake and introduced us to some unique Greek flavors. Or at least, I hadn’t used these flavors before in baking.
One of the benefits of participating in virtual baking groups is being exposed to different ingredients and flavors from around the world.
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut making the same types of breads. Trying different techniques, flavors, and methods makes me a better baker whether I like the bread in question or not.
Now that I’ve tried these flavors, I need to check out some other Greek-style breads so I can use these spices again.
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The story behind Cypriot Flaounes
Flaounes are a traditional Cypriot Easter pastry.
As the story goes, milk and eggs were not eaten during the fasting season of Lenten before Easter, so people needed a way to preserve the 40 days of milk that was not being drunk. They made cheese with the milk and stored the eggs in a cool place.
What herbs and spices are used in this Greek Easter Cheese Bread?
As I mentioned, these Cypriot Flaounes include several unique spices: mahleb, mastic, sesame seeds, and dried mint. I decided to do a bit of research on each of them.
Mahleb – is made from the small pits of wild St. Lucy’s cherries, and is very lightly almondy and sweet with a hint of floral note. The suggested substitute is to use almond extract (at half the called for amount) and cardamom (at 1/4 the called-for amount) or a pinch of anise.
Mastic – has a not-so-subtle resin aroma, like pine sap. The typical substitute is vanilla.
According to the dictionary box on Google, mastic (mastik) is “an aromatic gum or resin that exudes from the bark of a Mediterranean tree, used in making varnish and chewing gum and as a flavoring.” And, “the bushy evergreen Mediterranean tree of the cashew family that yields mastic and has aromatic leaves and fruit, is closely related to the pistachio.”
Interesting tidbits about sesame seeds
Sesame seeds (also known as Goma Seeds)
– “have a slightly sweet flavor with notes of butter, milk, and/or nuts (e.g., almonds), and a rich texture. White sesame seeds have a quiet volume (the ingredient’s relative flavor “loudness,” from quiet to loud); whereas black sesame seeds have a moderate volume.” Source: The Vegetarian Flavor Bible by Karen Page
I love sesame seeds and after reading some of the numerous benefits, I love them even more. I’m particularly interested in seeing if they help relieve my arthritis. However, as with most food, moderation is the key.
Helps Lessen Anxiety – Sesame seeds contain the stress-relieving minerals magnesium and calcium. Sesame also contains the calming vitamins thiamin and tryptophan which help produce serotonin, which reduces pain, assists moods, and helps you sleep deeply.
Relieves Arthritis – The high copper content in sesame seeds prevents and relieves arthritis, and strengthens bones, joints, and blood vessels.
Alleviates Anemia – Black sesame seeds are particularly rich in iron. They’re highly recommended for those with anemia and weakness.
Source: https://www.lispine.com/blog/20-huge-health-benefits-of-sesame/
– according to The Vegetarian Flavor Bible, “mint is a slightly sweet; aromatic, with pungent notes of herbs and/or lemon.” They also note that “recipes that call for mint typically mean spearmint (versus, peppermint). Mint suggests “false coolness,” and adds a note of freshness to dishes.” Spearmint has a quiet to moderate volume; whereas peppermint has a loud volume.”
I have never used dried mint, that I can remember. I’m typically overrun with fresh mint, except during the winter. All of my mint is dormant at the moment so I decided to order some dried mint. The package doesn’t indicate whether it’s made with spearmint or peppermint. It smells fabulous, but a little goes a long way, and I think I added a little too much.
What type of cheese do you use in these Sourdough Cypriot Flaounces?
Traditional flaounes were made with a local Cypriot goat’s milk cheese called paphitiko. As the pastries became popular across Greece, other cheeses also began to be used, like halloumi.
In even farther removed regions where Greek cheese was not accessible, mild cheddar and Romano became popular substitutes.
Halloumi is a Greek cheese made from sheep’s or sometimes goat’s milk. The Vegetarian Flavor Bible describes Halloumi as “salty/sour, with notes of feta cheese and sometimes mint, and a firm, chewy, almost meaty texture that can even stand up to grilling without melting.”
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to source any halloumi this time around so I used mild cheddar and mozzarella in the filling. I do hope to try this cheese bread again sometime with halloumi.
What type of flour should you use in these flauones?
In the filling, use a finely ground semolina flour. I used Bob’s Red Mill semolina flour.
In the dough, you can use all-purpose or bread flour, but I opted for a blend of einkorn all-purpose and freshly-milled whole wheat einkorn flour. You can purchase all-purpose einkorn from einkorn.com or jovialfoods.com.
I like to try different flours and since Einkorn is typically considered to be a Mediterranean species of wheat, I thought it was appropriate to use in this Greek-style bread.
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- Einkorn Grains
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- Freshly Milled Einkorn Flour
How to shape the flauones?
One way to shape these flauones is to roll them out into a rectangle and cut them into 5-inch squares. After rolling the squares in sesame seeds and placing a couple of spoonful’s of filling on them, you fold them up towards the center around the filling and pinch the ends together to keep them from popping open. This is the method I used.
After I had already used the above method, I visited a few other blogs, and those bakers utilized a different method of dividing the dough into portions and rolling each portion out separately into a flat round piece. Next time I make these, I will try the second method.
Serve with honey and cinnamon for a sweet treat or olives and sliced meat for savory.
Sourdough Einkorn Cypriot Flaounes (Greek Easter Cheese Bread)
- Yield: 12 flaouna 1x
Description
These Sourdough Einkorn Cypriot Flaounes are flavorful, Greek-style cheese pastries seasoned with unique Greek spices, and filled with a mixture of cheese, semolina, raisins and spices.
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 tsp ground mastic * see notes
- 1 tsp ground mahleb ** see notes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 c (84 g) semolina flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp dry mint, crushed
- 8 oz (228 g) halloumi cheese (I used mozzarella)
- 8 oz (228 g) soft, mild cheddar
- 1c (115 g) raisins
- 2 eggs
Dough
- 300 g all-purpose einkorn flour
- 162 g whole wheat einkorn flour (I used freshly-milled)
- 1 tsp ground mastic, optional *
- 1 tsp ground mahleb **
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 c olive oil
- 1 c (250 ml) lukewarm milk, divided
- 100 grams sourdough
Topping
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 c (70 g) sesame seeds (I used black sesame seeds)
Instructions
Day 1 – Make the Cheese Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together: spices, sugar, semolina, baking powder, and crushed mint.
- Grate the cheese and mix with the raisins, and flour/spice mixture.
- Add the eggs, one by one, mixing until the cheese has come together as a firm mixture that can be shaped into a ball. (More or fewer eggs may be needed depending on the moisture level of the cheese used.)
- Cover the filling and refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 hours, to let the flavors come together.
Day 2 – Prepare dough, assemble and bake
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and sugar.
- Add the oil and rub it into the flour/spice mixture using your fingertips, until the mixture has a sandy texture.
- Pour 1/2 cup lukewarm milk into the flour and mix well with your hands.
- Add the sourdough and work it into the dough using your fingers.
- Add the remaining 1/2 cup of lukewarm milk gradually, kneading with your hands and adding just enough to incorporate all the dry ingredients and create a firm dough that does not stick on your hands. Add additional flour, a tablespoon at a time, if necessary to achieve a workable dough.
- Cover dough and set aside to rise for 3-4 hours, until nearly doubled.
- While the dough is proofing, remove the cheese mixture from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
- Place the sesame seeds onto a wide plate or tray.
- Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick (it should measure roughly 15×20 inches). Cut the dough into 5-inch squares. (Or cut the dough your desired shape and size.)
- Brush one side of the cut dough with the beaten egg and place it egg-side down onto the seeds.
- Place a heaping 1/4 cup of the cheese filling on top of the dough (on the un-seeded side). (Don’t compact it, so that it stays light and airy!)
- Brush the egg wash on the outer edges of the dough and fold them up towards the center (leaving the top center of the filling uncovered). Pinch the un-seeded side of the corners of the dough together to keep the sides in place over the filling.
- Place the shaped flaounes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush the exposed filling with a little beaten egg.
- Let the pastries rise for 45 minutes to an hour, until slightly puffy.
- Near end of rising time, preheat oven to 350ºF. (The recipe calls for an oven temp of 375 degrees. That was too hot for my oven.)
- Bake the flaounes for 20-30 min, until deeply golden. Watch them carefully so they don’t get too brown.
Notes
*If you don’t have mastic, the typical substitute is vanilla.
**If you don’t have mahlab, substitute 1 tsp with 1/2 tsp almond extract and 1/4 tsp cardamom (or a pinch of anise).
Adapted from: https://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/flaounes-greek-easter-cheese-bread/
- Category: Greek Easter Bread
- Cuisine: Greek
Who are the Bread Baking Babes?
We are a group of bread bakers who get together every month and bake bread! We have a Facebook group if you’d like to bake along. New recipes are posted every month on the 16th.
Kelly, of A Messy Kitchen, is the host kitchen this month. If you want to bake along with us as a Buddy, check out her blog for details on how to participate. She’ll send you a Buddy badge, and feature you in the round-up. Deadline to get your e-mail to her is January 29th.
Check out the different variations for this month’s bake:
A Messy Kitchen – Kelly (host kitchen)
Bread Experience – Cathy
Judy’s Gross Eats – Judy
Karen’s Kitchen Stories – Karen
blog from OUR kitchen– Elizabeth
Feeding My Enthusiasms – Elle
Thyme for Cooking – Katie (roundup)
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT THE PRIVACY POLICY PAGE.
Happy Baking!
Cathy
How cool about the sesame information! I have always loved sesame, but had no idea about some of those benefits. Your honey presentation is just beautiful. I definitely liked them warmed with vanilla ice cream but will probably save my mastic for Tsoureki in the future. Mahleb is a great flavor that I would like to use more often.
I went a little crazy researching everything, but I was excited to find the info on the benefits of sesame seeds.
Vanilla ice cream would be great with these! I thought they were kind of bitter or something even with the honey and cinnamon, but then I added some cream cheese to the mix and that did the trick.
These look great and thank you for all of the research! Love that info about sesame seeds. I’ll have to remember that container of tahini I have.
Thanks! Ah, tahini yes.
Clever you for making sourdough flaounes! They look beautiful, particularly with the black sesame seeds on the outsides.
Too bad you couldn’t find halloumi. I love the texture it gets when it’s cooked. (If you can find paneer in an Indian supermarket, that might be a good substitute.) Although, I suspect that pretty much any mild-ish cheese will do in these pastries.
Thank you for the research on the various ingredients. We already use and love sesame seeds, but now, armed with the knowledge that they contain magnesium, calcium, thiamin and tryptophan to help reduce stress, reduce pain, relieve arthritis, strengthen joints, etc. etc. makes them even more attractive.
Thanks for the tips on the cheeses. That’s good to know. There is definitely a lot to love about sesame seeds.
Wow! Your post is packed with fascinating information, not to mention the delicious flaounes! They turned out lovely.
Thanks Judy! It was interesting learning about the different ingredients used in these flaounes.