Alan Davidson

Flaounes

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About
Easter cheesecakes which seem to be exclusive to Cyprus, where they are prepared, especially in Greek Orthodox homes, during the Easter feast days; this partly as a religious tradition but increasingly because they are very well liked. Bakeries now make them, often in a small size, at any time of the year.

Special flaouna cheeses, made from ewe and goat milk, are used; Gilli Davies (1990) explains that they are fresh, lightly pressed, cheeses, and have a tall cylindrical shape derived from the reed containers in which they are moulded. The same author writes:

Traditionally eaten to break the Lenten fast, Flaounes are, to me, the very best of Cypriot cooking. Cheesy buns with a soft rich filling and a crisp crust, just the thing to eat with a cup of coffee at breakfast or a glass of wine later in the day.