Eliopitakia are Cyprus’ charming olive hand pies: crumbly olive-oil pastry folded around a filling of chopped olives, onion and fresh mint. They belong on a mezze platter, beside a strong Cypriot coffee, or in a lunchbox destined to be envied.
The dough is a small marvel — no butter, no yeast, just flour, olive oil and fresh orange juice, which gives it a subtle fragrance and its signature tender crumble.
The filling honors the island’s olive obsession: kalamata or green olives, sharpened with onion, freshened with mint, and — in the proper Cypriot spirit — a pinch of crushed coriander seed.
Eliopitakia Recipe
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes resting) · Cook time: 20 minutes · Total: about 1 hour 10 minutes · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~188 per serving
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- For the filling:
- 1 cup pitted kalamata or green olives, chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- ½ teaspoon crushed coriander seeds (optional)
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Mix the flour, baking powder and salt; add the olive oil and orange juice and mix into a soft dough. Knead briefly until smooth, cover, and rest 30 minutes.
- Combine the olives, onion, mint, coriander and pepper for the filling.
- Divide the dough into golf-ball-sized pieces and roll each into a thin circle.
- Place a spoonful of filling in each, fold into half-moons, and press to seal — a fork crimp looks the part.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
- No salt is needed in the filling — the olives bring plenty.
- They keep several days in a tin and freeze well baked.
- A version with halloumi cubes in the filling exists, and it is exactly as good as it sounds.
