69 Cyprus.

Houloumopsomi (Cheese Bread)

Country: Cyprus
Course: Bread
Makes: 6 to 8 servings 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp active yeast
• 4 tbsp warm water
• 1 to 2 cups warm water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• olive oil
• 9 oz Haloumi cheese, cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1-2 tablespoons dried mint (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let stand until frothy.
2. Sift the flour into a bowl and add 1 cup of water and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the yeast. Stir to incorporate, adding more water if needed.
3. Add the diced cheese and the mint.
4. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should not be sticky. Now add about a tablespoon of olive oil and a little extra flour to help get the dough completely out of the bowl.
5. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a floured bowl, covering lightly. Let rise in a warm place for an hour or so or until doubled in size.
6. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees.
7. Put the dough on a baking sheet and put in the oven. Bake for 5-10 minutes, then reduce heat to about 425 degrees and keep baking for 25 to 35 minutes. Keep an eye on your bread because this is still pretty hot, and you don't want it burning.
8. When done, the bread should have a nice hard crust and be soft inside.

Moussaka

Ingredients

• 3 eggplants, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices
• salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

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• 1 pound lean ground beef
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fines herbs

• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine

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• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 cups milk

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• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• salt to taste
• ground white pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

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• Prep
  45 m
• Cook
  1 h
• Ready In
  1 h 45 m

1. Lay the slices of eggplant on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Then in a skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the beef is browned, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, fines herbs and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce and wine, and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, and then stir in beaten egg.
3. To make the bechamel sauce, begin by scalding the milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.
4. Arrange a layer of eggplant in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the meat mixture, and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over the meat. Cover with remaining eggplant, and sprinkle another 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the nutmeg. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Avgolemoni (Egg and Lemon Soup)

Country: Cyprus
Course: Appetizer
Makes: 4 to 6 servings 

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken or 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 3 eggs, beaten
• Juice of 1 or 2 fresh lemons, to taste
• 1 tsp cornstarch

Directions:

1. If using a fresh chicken, cover with water and boil until the chicken is cooked through. Reserve the stock to use as the base for the soup and set the meat aside (you can serve it with the soup for a main course).
2. Add the rice to the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the rice is tender. Remove from heat and let cool a little.
3. Pour some of the stock into a bowl and add a little bit of cold water. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Now add the egg and lemon mixture.
4. Heat the soup slowly but don't boil, since you don't want the egg to scramble. If you'd like your soup to be a little thicker, dissolve the cornstarch in a small amount of water and add it to the soup, continuing to heat until thick. Serve immediately. If you're serving this as a main course you can include the boiled chicken.

Pourgouri Pilaf

ingredients

1 tablespoon oil (olive, ground nut or sunflower)
1/2 medium onion, finely sliced
1/2 ounce vermicelli pasta
4 ounces pourgouri or boulgouri (cracked wheat)
3/4 cup chicken stock
salt and black pepper

directions

NOTE: Cracked Wheat Pilaf Prepared from hulled wheat, the grain is steamed until partly cooked then dried before being ground. Pourgouri is available in fine and coarse grades.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based casserole and saute the onion for a couple of minutes until it softens but doesn't brown. Stir in the vermicelli, breaking it with your hands. Continue to fry with the onion for a couple of minutes until it begins to absorb the oil.

Rinse the pourgouri under the cold tap, then add to the casserole. Add the stock and seasoning. Cover and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes or until all the stock is absorbed. Leave the pilaf to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: Serve with Yogurt (optional) 

Cypriot Flaounas

Ingredients for the dough:

• 750 g hard wheat flour
• 60 g olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dry active yeast
• 400 g water
• pinch of salt

Ingredients for the filling:

• 500 g sweet gruyere cheese
• 200 g grated halumi cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried mint leaves or lemon balm leaves
• 1 teaspoon mastic
• 1 teaspoon machlepi
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 200 g raisins
• 3 eggs
• 80 g granulated sugar
• 80 g fine semolina flour

Ingredients for serving:

• honey
• cinnamon
• egg for brushing and sesame for sprinkling

Method

This Cypriot cheese-filled pastry filled with ground mahlepi in the dough, gives a hint of almond flavour. Delicious with a filling of grated gruyere, halloumi and sultanas!

• In a bowl, whisk the yeast and water together.
• In a mixer, using the hook attachment, mix all the ingredients for the dough until it is nice and soft and elastic. Cover with a towel and allow it to rest for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 200* (390*F) Fan.
• Mix all the ingredients for the filling, together, in a bowl.
• Divide the dough into 3 equal parts.
• Roll out the dough, to about a 3 cm thickness. Cut in to 20x20 cm squares.
• Add the filling to the middle of each square. Put quite a bit of filling in each (80 g).
• Fold all the edges in on themselves, as if you are making a flat box. Do not cover the filling completely or fold over all the way to the middle of the square.
• Fold the other sides in the same way. Basically we are creating a “nest” for the filling. Using a fork, press down on the corners so that they stick together well.
• Bake for 25 minutes, until they turn golden brown.
• Serve warm with honey and cinnamon.

Tip

You can create square or rectangular “nests”. Brush the tops with egg and sprinkle with some sesame seeds to make them look even more enticing!!

zivania

(Good Eats: Raymond Beurre Blanc)