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Northern Cyprus · Dough and pastry
Pilavuna (Cypriot Halloumi Pastry)
Local name: Pilavuna
Cyprus's classic square pastry filled with halloumi, mint and eggs, scented with mahleb.
- Servings4
- Prep1 h 15 min
- Cooking35 min
- Total time1 h 50 min
- DifficultyMedium
Contains glutenContains dairyContains egg
About this dish
Pilavuna is a Cypriot baked pastry filled with halloumi (hellim), eggs and dried mint, its edges folded into a square. Greek Cypriots call it flaouna and make it for Easter to break the Lenten fast. Turkish Cypriots have also adopted it, eating it during Ramadan and on special occasions, served hot or cold.
In the Northern Cyprus home version, the dough is lightly salty and slightly sweet, with mahleb in the dough and dried mint in the filling. The tender, almost shortcrust-like pastry meets salty cheese and a sesame topping, and some cooks add raisins.
Ingredients
Tick the ingredients off like a shopping list.
Dough
Filling
Topping
Method
Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and mahleb in a large bowl; rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks sandy.
Add the egg and lukewarm milk and knead for about 5 minutes into a soft, smooth dough.
Cover the dough and rest it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Grate the halloumi and mix with the mint, eggs, semolina and raisins, if using, to make a cohesive filling.
Heat the oven to 200 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Roll the dough to about 3 mm thick and cut out 12 circles, 12 cm in diameter.
Put 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each circle; fold the edges in from four sides to form an open-topped square and arrange on the tray.
Brush the dough with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Cool the pastries on a wire rack for 10 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.
💡 Tips
- Grate the halloumi on the coarse side and squeeze out excess moisture so the filling stays firm.
- Do not overwork the dough, or it becomes tough.
- Use freshly ground mahleb for the best aroma.
- Press the folded edges firmly so the filling does not leak while baking.
- Rub the dried mint between your palms before adding it to release its fragrance.
🛒 Can't find it abroad?
- Mahleb — If unavailable, use a little vanilla or a touch of grated orange zest; the flavor will differ.
- Halloumi — A mix of mozzarella-style or mature cheddar with a little feta works; adjust the salt.
- Dried mint — Use twice the amount of finely chopped fresh mint.
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.
