Cypriot Tahini Pies Recipe

Name: Cypriot Tahini Pies
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Cypriot
Ingredients: 400 g strong bread flour; 7 g instant yeast; 40 g caster sugar; 1 tsp salt; 60 ml olive oil; 220 ml lukewarm water; 150 g tahini; 100 g caster sugar, for the filling; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 orange, zest; 1 tbsp olive oil, for brushing

Cypriot Tahini Pies

Spiral bread rolls of yeast dough rolled around a sweet tahini and cinnamon filling, risen for 1 hour and baked for 25 minutes.

1 hr 5 min prep and cooking plus 1 hr 20 min Rising 2 hr 25 min start to finish Serves 8 servings Medium

The Idea Behind Cypriot Tahini Pies

It comes from the tradition of Lent, when meat and dairy are not eaten, and tahini pies are the sweet treat of the Cypriot fasting days. Tahinopites are small spiral rolls of yeast dough, spread with tahini, sugar and cinnamon, and sold in bakeries all over the island.

The dough is flour, yeast, olive oil, sugar and warm water, kneaded for 8 minutes and left to rise for 1 hour until doubled. For the filling, mix tahini with sugar and cinnamon into a thick, spreadable paste. Stir the tahini well first, as the oil separates in the jar and the thick layer at the bottom should be mixed back in. Add a spoonful of orange zest if you like.

Roll the dough out into a thin rectangle, spread it evenly with the filling, roll it up tightly from the long side and cut into 8 slices. Lay them cut side up in a lined tray and leave for 20 minutes. Brush with oil and bake at 200°C / 390°F for 25 minutes, until golden and puffed. Cool for 10 minutes. The rolls keep for 3 days and are good with coffee.

Cypriot Tahini Pies, Step by Step

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Mix the flour, yeast, 40 g sugar, salt, oil and water and knead for 8 minutes. Cover and leave to rise for 1 hour.
Mix the tahini, 100 g sugar, cinnamon and zest to a thick paste.
Roll the dough into a 30 x 40 cm rectangle, spread with the paste, roll up tightly from the long side and cut into 8 slices.
Lay the slices cut side up in a lined tray and leave for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°C / 390°F.
Brush with the oil and bake for 25 minutes until golden.

Notes for Getting It Right

Stir the tahini well before using it.
Roll the dough up tightly.
Cool for 10 minutes before eating.

What Goes With Cypriot Tahini Pies

Coffee
Tea
Orange juice

Leftovers and Storage

Keeps for 3 days wrapped. Freeze for 2 months.

Cypriot Tahini Pies: Questions and Answers

How long does Cypriot Tahini Pies take to make?

40 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 20 minutes of Rising, so allow 2 hours 25 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 8.

Nutrition per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

460Calories

10gProtein

60gCarbs

20gFat

3gFibre

19gSugar

300mgSodium

Vegetarian

Cypriot Tahini Pies

Cypriot Tahini Pies, Step by Step

Notes for Getting It Right

What Goes With Cypriot Tahini Pies

Leftovers and Storage

Cypriot Tahini Pies: Questions and Answers

Nutrition per Serving

Your notes on this recipe

Cooked this? Keep a note for next time

Cypriot Tahini Pies, Step by Step

Notes for Getting It Right

What Goes With Cypriot Tahini Pies

Leftovers and Storage

Cypriot Tahini Pies: Questions and Answers

Nutrition per Serving

Your notes on this recipe

Cooked this? Keep a note for next time

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