Servings
Font
Back
Flaounes
5 from 2 votes

Flaounes

Flaounes are small traditional savory buns, stuffed with halloumi, prepared the week before Easter in Cyprus.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 8 people
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients

For the dough
  • 6 cups flour
  • 3½ teaspoons instant dry yeast
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 2 egg
  • ½ teaspoon mastic ground
  • ½ tablespoon mahlepi ground
  • 1¼ cup milk (warm)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
For the stuffing
  • 8 oz gruyere cheese or Swiss cheese), grated
  • 6 oz. feta cheese grated
  • 10 oz. halloumi cheese grated
  • 3½ teaspoons instant dry yeast
  • 1 cup milk hot
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 6 egg
  • ½ cup fine semolina flour
  • ½ cup raisins , soaked in water to rehydrate
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
For the topping
  • 1 egg
  • sesame seeds
Equipment
  • Stand mixer

Instructions

Stuffing
    Cup of Yum
  1. Dissolve the yeast in warm milk.
  2. Mix the cheeses, semolina and baking soda.
  3. Add the eggs one by one and beat well.
  4. Add the mint and raisins.
  5. Cover and let stand for 6 hours (or overnight).
Dough
  1. Pour some milk in a bowl and mix with the yeast. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature.
  2. Place the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer and make a well in the center.
  3. Add sugar, mahlepi, mastic, olive oil, salt, remaining milk and dissolved yeast.
  4. Knead until obtaining a homogeneous and slightly compact dough ball.
  5. Lightly oil the surface of the dough and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand 1 hour away from drafts.
Assembly
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180˚C).
  2. Degas the dough and divide into 15 equal balls.
  3. Roll each dough ball with a rolling pin to obtain 6-inch (15 cm) circles.
  4. Brush each circle with beaten egg on one side.
  5. Spread the sesame seeds in a shallow dish, dip the circles of dough in sesame seeds (brushed side down) and press lightly.
  6. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of the dough.
  7. Fold the edges toward the center without locking the stuffing completely (in a square or triangle shape).
  8. Pinch the edges.
  9. Arrange flaounes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving enough space between them.
  10. Brush with leftover beaten egg and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
  11. Enjoy warm or cold.