Ingredients
- ½ kg flour + more to spread on working bench
- 1 small packet of yeast
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
- ½tbsp sugar
- ½ cup water (approx.)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1/4 cup oil
- ½ tbsp pounded mahlepi*
- 2-3 pieces of mastic
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 100g sesame seeds (approx.)
- 1 egg (beaten with a little milk)
Filling:
- 500g cheese for the flaounes, or 1 halloumi (250g) + 250g cheese for the flaounes, grated
- 2-3 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/4 cup milk, or sour cream
- 1/3 cup semolina
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1-2 pieces of mastic, pounded with ½ tsp salt
- Finely chopped mint
- (fresh or grated dry mint)
- 1/3 cup dried raisins (optional)
Method
Step 1:
Pound (or pass through a blender) the mastic, sugar and mahlepi (if you haven’t found it already pounded). Sift the flour with the salt in a bowl and stir in the yeast, mastic, zest and mahlepi.
Step 2:
Make a well in centre of the flour and pour the oil in. Rub the mixture with your hands, so as to absorb all the oil until the mixture is uniform.
Step 3:
Add the milk and ½ cup of water. Knead the mixture to form a smooth and elastic dough (if necessary add a little more water or flour).
Step 4:
Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and put aside in a warm place until it doubles in volume – for about 1 ½ hour. Check if it is ready by gently pushing your finger into it. Your finger must leave an imprint (make a small pit). Mix all filling ingredients together in a bowl. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Step 5:
Take half the dough and spread out sheets of about 1/4 of a centimetre thick (keeping the rest covered to prevent it from drying). Using a tea cup saucer, cut round shapes into the sheets. In each circle put a tablespoon of the filling mixture and press down to spread it.
Step 6:
Fold the sides inwards and make triangular or square flaounes. Brush them with the beaten egg, sprinkle them with sesame seeds and put them on a baking sheet. Cover them with a kitchen towel and let them settle for 1 hour, until they rise. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes.
* Mahlepi is an aromatic spice made from the seeds of a Southern Europe wild cherry (Prunus mahaleb).
