093Sarikopites

Method

Traditional Cretan pan-fried spirals. Serve warm as a meze or breakfast bite, accompanied by raki.

You will need

• rolling pin or pasta machine
• frying pan
• slotted spoon
• tongs

1. Sift the plain flour and fine sea salt into a broad bowl, make a well in the centre, and pour in the olive oil, tsikoudia, lemon juice, and lukewarm water. 5 min Ready when: flour absorbs the liquids gradually
2. Knead the mixture by hand for about 8 minutes until you achieve a smooth, pliable, and elastic dough that does not stick to your fingers. 8 min Ready when: dough is smooth and supple
3. Shape the dough into a ball, cover it tightly with a damp tea towel, and leave it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. 30 min Ready when: dough relaxes and loses its spring-back
4. Divide the rested dough into 8 equal portions and roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a very thin, translucent strip roughly 10 cm wide and 40 cm long. 15 min Ready when: sheet is thin enough to see shadows through
5. Distribute the crumbled cheese evenly down the long centre line of each strip, fold the dough over to encase the cheese into a thin tube, and gently roll the tube into a snail-like coil, tucking the outer end underneath. 10 min Ready when: seams are pressed closed and secure
6. Heat 2 cm of olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat until a small scrap of dough sizzles briskly without burning. 3 min · 180°C / 355°F Ready when: oil ripples and sizzles immediately
7. Fry the coils in batches of two or three for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning carefully with tongs, until blistered and evenly golden. 6 min Ready when: pastry develops pale gold blisters and a crisp shell
8. Transfer the pies with a slotted spoon to kitchen paper for 1 minute, then transfer to a serving platter and immediately spoon the warmed thyme honey over them while piping hot. 2 min Ready when: honey melts lightly over the hot, crisp ridges

Tap a step to tick it off.

Make ahead and storing

Form the coils, arrange them between parchment paper, and keep refrigerated for up to 6 hours before frying.

Best eaten freshly fried; becomes soft in the fridge.

Substitutions

• ricotta mixed with mild crumbled feta for fresh xinomyzithra or fresh mizithra. Mix 250 g drained ricotta with 100 g tangy feta to mimic the tart creaminess of xinomyzithra.
• vodka or white wine vinegar for Cretan tsikoudia (or raki). Alcohol inhibits gluten development, keeping the fried pastry blistered and crisp.

Common mistakes

• Rolling the pastry too thick. Thick dough will turn dense and doughy inside during the rapid shallow fry.
• Frying in oil that is not hot enough. Low-temperature oil causes the coils to absorb heavy grease rather than blistering crisply.

Regional variants

• Hania style: often dusted with roasted sesame seeds along with the honey.
• Mountain villages: prepared strictly with sharp, aged xinomyzithra.

About the dish

Sarikopites are coiled individual cheese pies from Crete, named after the sariki, the traditional fringed black headscarf worn by Cretan men. They are filled with fresh, tart goat and sheep milk cheeses such as xinomyzithra or fresh mizithra. Rolled very thin and fried in bubbling extra virgin olive oil, they are served hot and immediately drizzled with fragrant thyme honey, bridging savoury and sweet notes.

Found in Crete. Cooked for everyday, panigiri feast, sunday lunch.

Cousins elsewhere

• Gül böreği (Turkish). Both roll filled thin dough into coiled spirals, though sarikopites are pan-fried in olive oil rather than baked.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

1098 kcal · protein 21.5 g · fat 72.4 g (saturated 20.5 g) · carbohydrate 88 g (sugars 21.4 g) · fibre 2.4 g · sodium 1196 mg

An estimate (summed from ingredient estimates) that varies with the exact ingredients. It is not dietary advice.

Written fresh by Epikouria editors from general culinary tradition. Recipe by the Epikouria editors. Rooted in Cretan village hospitality, where freshly fried sarikopites welcome unexpected guests..

Products for this dish