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Cretan sfakianopita is a thin cheese pie from the Sfakia area in the south-west of Crete. The dough is made with flour, olive oil, and water, folded around soft myzithra cheese, and pan-fried until golden. A drizzle of honey goes on top.
It tastes mildly tangy and a little sweet. The outside is golden and slightly chewy, and the middle stays soft and creamy.
I use fresh myzithra when I can find it. Whole-milk ricotta works too if you drain it first. Recipes vary from home to home, so think of this as a simple version, not the only way to make it.
You do not need anything special, just a rolling pin and a skillet. It works for breakfast, a snack, or a light dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No oven needed, just one skillet on the stove
- The dough comes together with only flour, oil, and water
- Soft cheese inside and a golden, chewy crust outside
- Works as breakfast, a snack, or a light dessert
Ingredient Notes
- myzithra: Fresh myzithra is soft, mild, and slightly tangy. If you can’t find it, use whole-milk ricotta and drain it well.
- olive oil: Use a regular extra virgin olive oil. The dough only has 60 ml, so you’ll taste it, but a very strong oil can be bitter.
- thyme honey: Thyme honey is the classic match in Crete and has a floral, slightly herbal taste. Any runny honey works if that’s what you have.
- all-purpose flour: Plain all-purpose flour gives a dough that rolls thin without fighting back. Bread flour makes it springier and harder to roll.
Cretan Sfakianopita: Pan-Fried Cheese Pie with Honey
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and 180 ml of the water, then stir with your hand until the dough comes together. If it feels dry, add the remaining water 1 tbsp at a time. Knead on the counter for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and soft but not sticky.
- Divide the dough into 6 balls of about 110 g each. Cover them with a towel and let them rest for 30 minutes. While they rest, put the myzithra in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl for 15 minutes. If the cheese still looks wet, the dough will turn soggy and leak in the pan, so let it drain longer. If you're using ricotta, stir in the salt now.
- Dust the counter lightly with flour. Roll one ball into a round of about 22 cm / 9 inches, 2 to 3 mm thick. Spoon about 65 g of cheese into the center and spread it into a square of about 8 cm / 3 inches. Fold the four sides over the cheese like an envelope, pinch the seams, and press gently with your palm to flatten the pie to about 1.5 cm. Shape a second pie the same way.
- Heat a 26 cm / 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush it with 1 tsp of the olive oil. Cook the 2 pies seam side down for about 3 minutes, until golden with brown spots. Flip and cook 3 minutes more, until the second side is golden and the pie feels firm.
- Roll, fill, and cook the remaining pies in 2 more batches of 2, wiping out the pan and brushing it with 1 tsp of oil each time. Roll the next pair while the current batch cooks.
- Drizzle each warm pie with 1 tbsp of honey and serve right away.
Notes
- Weigh the dough balls so every pie rolls out to the same size.
- Taste the cheese before salting, since myzithra, ricotta, and feta all vary in saltiness.
- Cook over medium heat, not high, so the dough cooks through before the outside gets dark.
- Cover the resting dough with a towel so the surface doesn't dry out.
Tips for Success
- Drain the myzithra or ricotta in a sieve for 15 minutes so the filling stays thick and doesn’t seep out in the pan.
- Roll each ball to 2 to 3 mm, about the thickness of a coin, so the dough cooks through before it browns too much.
- Pinch the folded seams firmly and cook the pies seam side down first so they hold their shape.
- Wipe the skillet between batches and keep the heat at medium, so loose flour doesn’t scorch and stick to the next pies.
- Drizzle the honey on right before serving so the crust stays crisp at the edges instead of turning soft.
Variations
- Stir 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint into the cheese and skip the honey for a savory pie served with tomato salad.
- Add a pinch of cinnamon and a little orange zest to the cheese for a sweeter, more dessert-style pie.
- Replace 80 g of the ricotta with crumbled feta for a tangier, saltier filling, and leave out the added salt.
Storage and Reheating
Sfakianopita keeps in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Let the pies cool completely, then store them without honey in an airtight container with parchment between them.
To reheat, warm a 26 cm / 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and cook each pie for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until hot in the middle and crisp again. Skip the microwave, since it turns the crust soft and chewy. Add fresh honey after reheating.
The dough can be made up to 24 hours ahead. Keep the wrapped balls in the fridge and leave them on the counter for 30 minutes before rolling.
Serving Suggestions
Serve sfakianopita warm, within about 15 minutes of leaving the pan, with 1 tbsp of honey drizzled over each pie. Cut it in half or in quarters if you’re sharing.
I like it with thick Greek yogurt, sliced figs or orange wedges, and strong coffee or tea. It also works as a small dessert after a light meal.
For a savory plate, leave off the honey and serve the pies with a tomato and cucumber salad and a few olives.
FAQ
How do I know when sfakianopita is cooked through?
Sfakianopita is done when both sides are golden with a few darker brown spots and the top feels firm when you press it. At medium heat that takes about 3 minutes per side in a 26 cm / 10-inch skillet. If it browns faster than that, lower the heat so the dough cooks all the way through.
Can I use ricotta instead of myzithra in sfakianopita?
Yes, whole-milk ricotta is the closest swap. Drain it in a fine-mesh sieve for 15 minutes and stir in 1/4 tsp fine salt, since ricotta is often unsalted. It’s a little sweeter than myzithra, so for more tang you can replace 80 g of it with crumbled feta and skip the salt.
Can I make the sfakianopita dough the day before?
Yes, you can make the dough up to 24 hours ahead. Wrap the six dough balls and keep them in the fridge, then leave them on the counter for 30 minutes before rolling. Cold dough springs back and is hard to roll thin, so don’t skip that rest.
What goes well with sfakianopita besides honey?
Thick Greek yogurt, sliced figs or oranges, and strong coffee all go well with sfakianopita. For a savory plate, skip the honey and serve it with a tomato and cucumber salad and olives. The mild cheese works with both sweet and salty sides.
Is sfakianopita vegetarian, and can I make it dairy free?
Sfakianopita is vegetarian, but it isn’t dairy free or vegan. The filling is cheese, the dough uses wheat flour, and honey isn’t vegan. I don’t have a dairy-free swap that works, because the cheese is the whole filling, so I’d save this one for when you can use real myzithra or ricotta.
What is the difference between sfakianopita and kalitsounia?
Both are Cretan cheese pies, but sfakianopita is a larger flat pie folded into a square, cooked in a pan, and served with honey. Kalitsounia are small pastries, often shaped into little parcels or half-moons, and are usually baked or fried with fillings that vary by area.