Pan-Baked Tahini Pie (Tahinopita)

Name: Pan-Baked Tahini Pie (Tahinopita)
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 3 1/3 cups (500g) Village Flour (or strong bread flour); 1 tablespoon (15g) sugar; 1 level teaspoon (8g) salt; 1 level teaspoon ground mahlab; ½ teaspoon ground mastic; 1 teaspoon (3g) cinnamon; 1 packet (11g) dry yeast; 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil; ½ cup (125ml) orange juice; ½ cup (125ml) lukewarm water; 1 1/3 cups (340g) tahini (sesame paste); 2/3 cup (160g) sugar; 1 well-filled teaspoon (6g) cinnamon; ½ cup (115g) sugar; ½ cup (125ml) water; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 teaspoon lemon juice

A delicious, sweet, yeast-leavened Cypriot pie filled with a rich tahini and sugar mixture, baked in a pan, and soaked in syrup.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/3 cups (500g) Village Flour (or strong bread flour)
• 1 tablespoon (15g) sugar
• 1 level teaspoon (8g) salt
• 1 level teaspoon ground mahlab
• ½ teaspoon ground mastic
• 1 teaspoon (3g) cinnamon
• 1 packet (11g) dry yeast
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• ½ cup (125ml) orange juice
• ½ cup (125ml) lukewarm water

For the Filling:

• 1 1/3 cups (340g) tahini (sesame paste)
• 2/3 cup (160g) sugar
• 1 well-filled teaspoon (6g) cinnamon

For the Syrup:

• ½ cup (115g) sugar
• ½ cup (125ml) water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

METHOD

Preparing the Dough:

1. In a bowl, sift the flour and add the sugar, salt, mahlab, mastic, and cinnamon, then mix. Next, add the yeast, mix, and pour in the olive oil.
2. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until coarse crumbs form (this is called 'ryziázoume' in Cypriot dialect). Gradually add the orange juice and water, kneading well until you achieve a soft, fluffy dough.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot for the dough to rise for about 1 hour.

For the Syrup:

1. In a small saucepan, combine all the syrup ingredients and place over heat. Once the sugar dissolves, reduce the heat to medium and boil for 5 minutes.
2. Add the lemon juice, stir, and remove from the heat. Let it cool down.
3. Place the tahini in the bowl of a mixer and beat for 4-5 minutes. Then, add the sugar and cinnamon. Continue beating for another 2-3 minutes.

For the Tahinopita:

1. Line a rectangular pan measuring 12x30cm with non-stick baking paper. Roll out the dough into a 40x40cm square.
2. Spread the filling, being careful not to spread it right to the edges. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the filling for the topping. Roll it into a log, taking care that the filling doesn't spill out. Specifically, roll it once, then fold the left and right edges inward towards the center.
3. Then, continue rolling the log, and before reaching the last 5 cm, fold the dough upwards and seal it to prevent the filling from escaping. Place the tahinopita in the prepared pan, cover it with plastic wrap or a towel, and set aside for 1 hour to rise again.
4. Score the tahinopita diagonally in 3 places and brush the top with the reserved filling. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 50 minutes.
5. Remove it from the oven and immediately brush it with all the cool syrup. Let it rest aside to cool completely, for about 1-2 hours. Unmold and serve.

Χρυσω Λεφου

Pan-Baked Tahini Pie (Tahinopita)

INGREDIENTS

For the Filling:

For the Syrup:

METHOD

Preparing the Dough:

For the Syrup:

For the Tahinopita:

Mandarin Cookies

Cypriot Olive Pies (Eliopites)

Delicious Olive Pie

Greek Pita Bread for Souvlaki

Χρυσω Λεφου

INGREDIENTS

For the Filling:

For the Syrup:

METHOD

Preparing the Dough:

For the Syrup:

For the Tahinopita:

RELATED RECIPES

Mandarin Cookies

Cypriot Olive Pies (Eliopites)

Delicious Olive Pie

Greek Pita Bread for Souvlaki