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Sfakiani pita
Cheese pancakes with honey
Sfakiani pita: paper-thin Sfakia cheese pancakes cooked in a dry pan and drowned in thyme honey
GreekShepherds in the mountains of Sfakia, on Crete's wild south coast, made these with what they had on hand: flour, oil, a ball of fresh cheese and the thyme honey from their hives. A soft dough is wrapped around the cheese, rolled out as thin as a plate and cooked in a dry pan, then eaten hot with honey running over it, for breakfast or as a late sweet with Greek coffee. Village cooks often add a splash of raki to the dough; here lemon juice does the same job and keeps it alcohol-free. The cheese is fresh mizithra, or use ricotta, which is usually rennet-free. Common mistake: cooking over too high a heat, which scorches the outside before the thin layer of cheese inside warms through. Chef's tip: roll from the centre outwards and give the disc a quarter turn each time so the cheese spreads evenly to the edge.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 10 ½ oz plain flourplus extra for rolling
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juicein place of the traditional raki
- ¾ cup warm water
For the filling and serving
- 9 oz fresh mizithra or ricottawell drained
- 6 tbsp thyme honey
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz plain flour and ½ tsp salt, then add 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice and ¾ cup warm water. Knead for 8 minutes into a smooth, soft dough that springs back slowly when pressed.
8 minStep 2: Cover and rest for 30 minutes, then divide into 4 balls.
30 minStep 3: Divide 9 oz fresh mizithra or ricotta into 4 and roll each portion into a ball. Flatten a dough ball into a 12 cm round, put a cheese ball in the middle and gather the dough up around it, pinching to seal.
Step 4: On a well-floured surface, flatten each parcel with your palm, then roll it gently into a disc about 22 cm across and 3–4 mm thick. A little cheese may show through in places; that's fine.
Step 5: Heat a dry, heavy frying pan over a medium-low heat. Cook one pita at a time for 2–3 minutes a side, until both sides have golden-brown freckles and the dough is cooked through.
12 minStep 6: Slide onto a plate and spoon over 6 tbsp thyme honey while hot. Eat straight away, torn into pieces.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 75 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sfakiani pita take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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