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Gagauzia · Dough and pastry
Gagauz Kivirma
Local name: Kıvırma
A Gagauz baked pie of thinly rolled dough wrapped around a cheese filling and coiled in a pan.
- Servings4
- Prep1 h 10 min
- Cooking50 min
- Total time2 h
- DifficultyMedium
🌱 VegetarianContains glutenContains dairyContains egg
About this dish
Kivirma is a Gagauz home-baked dish in which thin dough is rolled around a cheese filling and coiled before baking. It is typically made with brynza-style cheese, eggs and yogurt, and appears on weekend tables, for guests and on holidays.
What distinguishes this version is the oiled dough rolled into long ropes and arranged in a spiral in the pan. The outside turns crisp while the inside stays soft and savory.
Ingredients
Tick the ingredients off like a shopping list.
Dough
Filling
Topping
Method
Knead the flour, salt, lukewarm water and 3 tbsp oil into a soft, smooth dough.
Cover the dough and rest it for 30 minutes.
Mash the cheese with a fork; mix in 1 egg, half the yogurt and black pepper.
Heat the oven to 200 °C and grease a baking pan.
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each one very thin on a floured surface.
Brush each sheet with oil and spread a thin line of cheese filling along it.
Roll the dough tightly into a long rope.
Coil the ropes in the pan in a spiral, starting from the center.
Whisk the remaining egg and yogurt, pour over the top, brush with melted butter and bake for 45 minutes until golden.
Brush with the remaining oil as soon as it comes out.
Rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve warm.
💡 Tips
- The thinner you roll the dough, the crisper the kivirma will be.
- If the cheese is very salty, soak it in water for a few hours and squeeze dry.
- Do not tear the dough while rolling; a thin film of oil separates the layers.
- Serve warm with yogurt or ayran.
🛒 Can't find it abroad?
- Brynza — Use feta, optionally mixed with a little ricotta to soften the saltiness.
- Sunflower oil — Use olive oil.
This recipe was prepared with the help of AI, following the traditional home-style method; quantities, times and steps were checked automatically for consistency. Ovens and stoves differ, so check doneness by eye.
