What are flaounes?
Flaounes are traditional Easter breads that have been served in Cyprus for generations. These breads are filled with a mixture of traditional cheeses and eggs for rich treatment that is served when fasting is broken. In Cyprus, Flaounes is easily accessible in bakeries during the Easter season and many households form doses and distribute them to friends. It is not unusual to see families of these traditional gifts along the street on Easter Sunday. In some areas they are also used throughout the year. The basic dough is usually milk bread, which is wrapped around the filling of grated cheeses and eggs. Usually, a soft farmer's cheese, such as Haloumi, along with Hard Mizitra and Kefalotiri, a kind of Greek parmesan. Some cooks also use feta. Flaounes are also traditionally flavored with ground mahlab, spices from Bitter Cherry seeds, which usually mix with bark. Once the buns are created, wipe the bakers with an egg and dust them with poppy or sesame seeds.
These classic inclusions in Cyprus cuisine are traditionally produced on Good Friday, so they are ready for eastern Sundays. In many communities, Christians visit the midnight service at night before Easter and after service celebrate holidays that include foods that have been banned during the Lent, including eggs, milk and meat. Flaounes are also offered to guests as breakfast food and are traditionally exchanged as gifts of friendship and good will, along with traditional red eggs.
If you want to make flains, mix a dough for milk bread using your favorite recipe. Milk bread is a very basic bread recipe that traditionally includes white flour, yeast, scalded milk, salt, eggs and sugar. For Flaoun, add Mahlab Atmastic to the bread dough. While the dough is and rises, mix the filling with cheese, eggs, salt, pepper and mint. Some chefs like to add raisins, along with Mahlab and a dash of sugaru.
When the dough rises, divide it into buns and throw the buns into flat circles. The spoon was filled in the center of each circle and then fold the dough to make a neat small dumplings. Before baking, until they are golden brown, brush the flaons with eggs and seeds. Once the flaounes are completely cooled, they freeze quite well, so you can make a big dose and save some for later.