In Cyprus, Easter isn't just a holiday, it’s a season defined by the aroma of mahlep, mastic, and fresh mint filling the air. For years, I’ve spent the days leading up to Holy Sunday in the kitchen with my mother-in-law, traditionally hand-rolling and stuffing dozens of flaounes. This year, I decided to bring a new seat to the table by creating a completely vegan version of this iconic Easter pastry. It captures that same savory-sweet balance and golden, sesame-crusted crunch we all love, proving that our most cherished traditions can evolve beautifully with a plant-based twist.
Vegan, nut free, refined sugar free | 7 pieces | SNACK
Ingredients:
Dough:
- 50g sourdough starter
- 750g village flour
- 250g 00 farina flour
- 1/3 teaspoon ground mehlep
- 1/3 teaspoon ground gum mastic
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 70g deodorised coconut oil
- 450ml lukewarm water approximately
Filling:
- 500g medium firm tofu
- 4 tablespoons fine semolina
- 5 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon kala namak salt
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 100g plant-based Parveggio grated cheese
- 100g plant-based yellow cheese grated
- 20-30 fresh mint leaves
- 10g hemp seeds
- 50g dried raisins (optional)
To finish:
- 50g sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Steps:
Day 1:
1.In a bowl, add the sourdough starter, along with 50g of the village and 50ml of lukewarm water and mix to combine. Cover with clean film and then wrap the bowl with kitchen towels as we want to keep it warm. We basically feed the starter to waken it up.
Day 2:
2.In a large bowl, add the remaining flour (both village and 00), mehlep, mastic, cinnamon and salt and mix.
3.Then add the cold coconut oil and rub it in the flour with your fingers. We really want to break all the small pieces of coconut oil into the flour. (this process is called riziasma)
4.Then add 450ml of lukewarm water mix a bit, before you add the sourdough starter (keep 1 tablespoon on the side for the filling). The starter must have almost doubled in size and be full of bubbles.
5.Continue mixing, until almost everything comes together, then turn the dough into a clean surface to knead it. Alternatively you can use a standing mixer and knead it for 10 minutes on medium speed, stopping and turning the dough halfway through.
6.If you are kneading by hand, you can follow the 30 seconds kneading - 10 minutes resting technique, where you knead the dough for 30 seconds , then you cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes, then you come back to knead for another 30 seconds, then left it rest again for 10 minutes, for 3 rounds.
7.During the waiting time you can prepare the filling and sesame seeds and tidy up the kitchen. For the filling, add the tofu in a large bowl and use a fork to break it down.
8.Then add the remaining sourdough starter, semolina, nutritional yeast, kala namak salt, turmeric and baking powder and mix well.
9.Then add the cheese, hemp seeds, raisins (if using) and tear apart the mint leaves with your hands, and mix well.
10.For the sesame seeds, add them into a fine strainer and rinse them with water, then let rest for a bit, before you spread them on a large plate.
11.When the dough is ready, cut it in half. Then divide the first half into 6 parts. Cover the half while you work with the first half.
12.Use a rolling pin to roll each part into a 0.5cm thin pastry.
13.Place one of the rolled pastries onto the plate with the sesame seeds and press it down slightly for them to stick, then add 2-3 tablespoons of the filling into the centre of the pastry, fold the sides in, leaving some of the filling in the centre exposed. Gently press the dough sides with a fork to stick together.
14.Place each flaouna on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and continue until you have used all the filling.
15.Mix the milk and maple syrup into a small bowl and brush the flaounes before you bake them.
16.Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
17.Traditionally the remaining dough is used to make 'daktilies' or 'kuluropulies'. Essentially you shape the dough into cylinder with your hands, then you roll it into into the sesame seeds, transfer it into a tray lined with parchment paper and using a knife you need to cut (not all the way through) vertical lines into the cylinder. Then bake it for 35-40 minutes. Alternatively, you can double the filling and make more flaounes.
18.Let them cool down before you enjoy them.
Enjoy!
Notes:
*If you don't have sourdough starter, you can get some form your local bakery.
*You can make the flaounes larger or smaller, but you will need to adjust the time. For smaller size, I'd say 10minutes less, for bigger 10minutes extra approximately.
*Store them into the fridge for up to 5 days.
*You can enjoy them straight cold from the fridge or warm them up a bit.