Cypriot Haloumi Pides

I absolutely adore cheese and bread. Put the two together and you get one of the simplest and most delicious food combinations. These haloumi pides were inspired after several years of purchasing them from a fabulous Middle-Eastern grocery and bakery called Oasis in Oakley and after watching an episode of Paul Hollywood’s Pies & Puds with Cypriot chef Tonia Buxton whereby they made a spinach, feta and pine nut version (which I cannot wait to try).  

I always thought to myself, ‘these must be so easy to make’ and they were. But more than that they are so scrumptious. Haloumi is a Cypriot cheese that is salty but not overly salty, is buttery when slightly melted and mouthwatering when you see it oozing out of these pides.

On another note, if you haven’t heard of Paul Hollywood or Tonia Buxton, it is time to finally subscribe to Foxtel and start watching their shows. They are two of my favourite British chefs and if you love making anything with dough that Paul Hollywood is your man.

Ingredients

250g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp fine salt

1 tsp instant yeast

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for kneading

250g of Haloumi cut into rectangles with a ½ centimeter thickness

Method

To make the dough, put the flour into a large bowl and add the salt to one side and the yeast to the other. Pour in the oil and 125ml of lukewarm water. Start to mix with one hand, adding a little more water as you go, gradually incorporating all the flour from the side of the bowl until you have a rough dough. It should be soft and slightly sticky. You may need to add a little more water depending on the absorbency of the flour.

Trickle a little olive oil onto your work surface and knead the dough on it for at least five minutes, or until it becomes smooth and is no longer sticky. Return to the bowl and cover with cling film. Leave in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled in size and puffy.

When you’re ready to assemble the parcels, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Tip the risen dough on to a floured surface and gently knock it back. Divide it into 10 pieces. Roll out each piece to a circle approximately 8cm on diameter. Dab your finger in some water and tap the edges of the circle with your finger. Place the haloumi to one side and fold other side over it to create a half-moon shape. Seal edges with a fork. Brush the tops with melted butter. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins or until golden and puffed.

Enjoy hot out of the oven!

For Paul’s Spinach, feta and pine nut pides visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/spinach_feta_and_pine_50248