The Pies of Cyprus
Text: Marilena Ioannides / Photos: Antonis Farmakas / Food Styling: Laura Colocasides
A staple of traditional cuisine, Cypriot pies stand out for their simple yet characterful deliciousness – just like all the island’s dishes.
Cypriot cuisine is distinguished by its simplicity. With humble ingredients, the aromas of nature, and traditional techniques, it creates flavours that blend memory, place, and seasonality. Each recipe tells a story – from everyday village life to festive moments.
PIES WITH BREAD DOUGH
Traditionally in Cyprus, the most common pies were made simply with bread dough, into which homemakers kneaded whatever nature generously provided or what they found in their orchards. Wild greens, olives, and halloumi formed the base for delicious pies –or Poulles, as they were called in Pafos– baked slowly in wood-fired ovens, releasing the aromas of authentic flavours.
Among the most classic recipes were Eliopites, kneaded with fresh spring onions, coriander, and black olives; Halloumopites, filled with halloumi and onion; Marathopites, made with wild fennel; and Strouthopites, prepared with Strouthkia (wild greens).
A unique pie was Xiniatopita, prepared exclusively in Karpasia to mark the beginning of Lent in March. Its filling consisted of wild sorrel and tender fresh garlic leaves kneaded into a minimal amount of bread dough. This herbaceous mixture was slowly baked in a wood-fired oven and enjoyed warm, accompanied by fresh lemon juice and a puree of garlic and potatoes called Skordalia.
A prominent place in Cyprus’ culinary tradition belonged also to Kromiopoulles, made with the island’s famed onions, which were praised as far back as antiquity by the naturalist Pliny and the satirical writer Lucian in his Dialogues of the Courtesans. Alongside them were Tiropoulles, filled with the exquisite Pafian cheese, and the Pastopites of Kokkinochoria, made with cured meats such as sausages and Lountza (cured pork loin).
A simple bread dough was also used to make Kokonopites, which included seeds from lentisk trees and terebinth plants. Terebinth seeds were combined with raisins to create the crunchy Trimithopites, while the fruits of lentisk trees were used in Schinopites.
In the same category were Niskiopites, which were baked directly on a traditional wood-fired hearth called a Niskia. These flatbreads were Litratzenes (meaning they were made without sourdough) and could be prepared with or without olives.
Over time, the traditional dough was enriched. Ingredients such as oil, orange juice, or even milk were added to the basic recipe, creating more modern variations. This evolution gave rise to today’s Spanakopites (spinach pies), Halloumopites (halloumi pies), and Eliopites (olive pies), which continue to honour tradition while offering a richer flavour and texture.
PIES WITH HOMEMADE PASTRY
Wrapped spinach pies: In the village of Yialousa, in the Karpasia region, housewives used to make these distinctive, rolled Lenten pies using the wild spinach that grew abundantly in the area. The subtle sweetness of the raisins, combined with the aroma of cinnamon and cloves and the delicate heat of black pepper, blended harmoniously with the wild greens, creating a unique flavour.
Kolokotes and covered pies: The famous pumpkin pies of Cyprus, known as Kolokotes, are among the island’s most traditional treats. Their filling, aromatic and sweet, combines bulgur wheat with raisins, cinnamon, and black pepper, creating a flavourful blend. In the Pafos region, wild fennel is often added, giving the filling a fresh, aromatic touch.
Tahini pies: These fragrant and oil-free Cypriot pies are filled with tahini, sugar, and cinnamon, and are often made with carob syrup as well. Sweet, delicious, and suitable for fasting, they are among the most popular vegan snacks on the island, enjoyed as a breakfast or afternoon treat.
Fried pies: Simple fried pies made with single or multiple layers of dough are skillfully folded into round double pies or small pies called Pissies and are served with honey, syrup flavoured with cinnamon and cloves, or simply with sugar and cinnamon.
Satzi pies: These slightly sweet pies with multiple layers, this time bound with good olive oil, sugar, and cinnamon, used to be baked in Satzi, a traditional hollow vessel similar to a pan.
Tsipopita and katimeri with almonds: Tsipa, in the Cypriot dialect, is the butterfat that coagulates and rises to the surface. With this, they made a rolled, syrup-soaked pie flavoured with cinnamon and filled with the taste of roasted butter – pure deliciousness! The word also means “shame” or “moral restraint,” and how beautiful it is when a pie carries a name that evokes humanity and ethics.
Flaouna: Flaouna is the most distinctive Easter treat in Cyprus and is a truly unique pie. Its roots trace back to the Frankish flaon, a mediaeval tart with a cheese filling. Similar Easter pies can be found in other regions of Greece where the Franks passed through, but only the Cypriot variety retains a name that directly originates from the original.
