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Overhead view of a halved Cypriot sandwich with golden halloumi, browned lountza, tomato, and cucumber inside crusty bread on a wooden board.

Pan-Fried Cypriot Lountza and Halloumi Sandwich

Pan-fried lountza and halloumi stacked in crusty bread with tomato, cucumber, and lemon, a Cypriot sandwich ready in about 25 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 329
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g lountza (Cypriot smoked cured pork loin) thinly sliced, about 8 slices
  • 200 g halloumi cut into 6 to 8 slices, about 0.5 cm / 1/4 inch thick
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for frying
  • 4 pieces crusty bread or ciabatta (about 70 g each); split horizontally
  • 2 tomato medium; sliced
  • 1 cucumber medium; thinly sliced
  • 1 red onion small; thinly sliced, optional
  • flat-leaf parsley small handful; chopped
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges
  • black pepper a few cracks

Method
 

Prep
  1. Slice the halloumi into 6 to 8 slices, about 0.5 cm / 1/4 inch thick. Pat the lountza slices dry with a paper towel.
  2. Slice the tomato and cucumber, and thinly slice the red onion if using. Split the bread pieces horizontally.
Fry and assemble
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 26 cm / 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two batches so the pan isn't crowded, fry the lountza slices for 2 to 3 minutes per side until the edges crisp and turn golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Fry the halloumi slices for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and slightly softened in the middle. Transfer to the same plate as the lountza.
  3. Toast the split bread, cut side down, in the same skillet for about 1 minute, until warm and lightly marked.
  4. Lay the bottom half of each bread piece on a board. Layer with tomato, cucumber, onion, 2 slices of lountza, and 1 to 2 slices of halloumi per sandwich.
  5. Scatter parsley over the top, add a few cracks of black pepper, and squeeze a little lemon juice over each sandwich. Close with the top half of the bread.
  6. Press down gently, cut in half, and serve warm with extra lemon wedges.

Notes

  • Slice halloumi and lountza before you heat the pan, so frying goes quickly.
  • Fry lountza first, then halloumi, in the same skillet without washing it in between.
  • Rest the fried halloumi 1 minute before serving, it firms up slightly off the heat.
  • Squeeze lemon right before serving so the bread doesn't turn soggy.