Anaropitta (Cypriot Curd Cheese Pie)

Anari cheese is a traditional Cypriot cheese. It is white, soft and it is quite similar to Ricotta cheese.

It is not a fatty cheese and is light. It can be bought salted or unsalted. Anari cheese has many uses, for example unsalted anari is used in sweets such as pies, bourekia (small dough pockets filled with anari cheese), while salted anari is used in pasta dishes such as pastitsio, or sprinkled on top of any type of pasta.

Anaropitta comes from the words anari and pitta (pie) so this is a sweet cheese pie filled with anari cheese. In order to make the pastry we need eggs, sugar, oil, milk, vanilla, some grated orange zest (optional), flour and baking powder.

In order to make the filling we need unsalted anari (but if you cannot get anari cheese you can also use ricotta cheese which is the most similar cheese), sugar, mint, cinnamon and almonds.

In order to prepare the anaropitta, you beat the eggs and the sugar, add the oil, milk, vanilla, the orange zest, the flour and the baking powder in order to make the dough. Then cut the pastry in half and place it in an ovenproof dish. Add the mixture into the dish and cover the mixture with the other part of the pastry. Once you brush the pastry with a beaten egg pierce the pastry with a fork. The anaropitta should be cooked in a moderate over for approximately half an hour on until the crust is golden brown.