Ricotta pie, aka anaropitta is a traditional Cypriot recipe enjoyed all year round. It is made out of ricotta cheese, anari mixed with lots of cinnamon and sugar. The filling is then rolled into some very simple dough, baked, and, once ready, drenched in some lovely cinnamon syrup. I got you drooling right?
Cypriot sweet pies
Cypriots are quite famous for their sweet pies. The dough, surprisingly, is very simple, consisting only of flour, some water, oil, and vinegar. I know vinegar is such an odd choice to add to a sweet pie but trust me, it makes a difference in the crispiness of the pie once baked.
Anaropitta is one of the most famous sweet pies, along with tahini pie, pumpkin pies, tsipopitta, pittes tis satzis, and so many more delicacies which are local to Cyprus.
Ricotta
Ricotta cheese is usually called anari in Cyprus.
Cypriot Anari is a type of traditional Cypriot cheese. It is a white, crumbly cheese made from sheep’s or goat’s milk. Anari has a mild, slightly salty flavor. We often use it in Cypriot cuisine in dishes such as salads, pastries, and desserts.
When I was growing up, I have faint memories of my grandmother making halloumi cheese in a big black colander. Anari is a by-product of halloumi cheese (very similar to ricotta cheese), and many people enjoy eating it hot, sprinkled with sugar or honey and cinnamon. Many families, though, choose to let the anari cheese harden and eat it with pasta. A bit like Parmigiano Romano Cyprus style!
You can find the recipe for halloumi cheese and ricotta here.
The recipe
As I mentioned before, this recipe might take some time to prepare, but it’s super easy to make. It’s best if you have a pasta machine to roll the dough as thinly as possible, but if you don’t, fear not. You can always use a rolling pin to make this yummy ricotta pie!
I think it’s time we start baking, don’t you think?
Anaropitta recipe on the way!
Step 1 Prepare the dough by adding the flour and salt in a big bowl. Then add the oil and vinegar and rub the flour in between your fingers to resemble fine sand. Then add as much lukewarm water as needed to create a firm dough. We need the dough to be quite firm but soft. Let it rest for about 30 minutes Step 2 Prepare the filling by adding the ricotta cheese in a bowl. Crumble it as finely as possible. Then add the cinnamon and sugar. Mix well and taste the filling. If you would like to add more sugar or cinnamon you can do this now. The sweetness of the filling is a personal choice. Step 3 Prepare the syrup by adding all the syrup ingredients in a small pot. Let it simmer and boil for 5 minutes and remove from the heat. Let it cool off completely. Step 4 Once the dough has rested, divide the dough into 5 equal parts. Roll them as finely as possible either using a pasta machine or a rolling pin. Add the ricotta filling in each one and roll them tightly. Place them in the pan twisting them to create a coil shape. See photo for reference. Step 5 Preheat the oven at 180C. Bake the pie for 45 min to one hour depending on your oven. You are looking for a nice golden color. Step 6 Once baked, pour the syrup evenly and enjoy either warm or cold. If you are baking this pie in the summer, be sure to store it in the fridge as the ricotta cheese can easily spoil.
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
