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Eliopita, Eliotes or Eliopitakia (Cypriot Olive Pies)

14/03/2008 By Ivy Liacopoulou

Small eliopitakia picture

 

 

Eliopita, Eliotes or Eliopitakia are Cypriot olive pastries made either as a bread, as a roulade, as turnovers or a pie, to accompany a cup of coffee or tea.

The dough is similar to the basic dough but instead of using water, the dough is made with  fresh orange juice.

For those who are fasting for Greek lent a variety of different food is necessary.

Do you know what Greeks used to have for breakfast some generations back?

Bread and olives, which is part of the Mediterranean Diet and that kept them strong and healthy to work all day in the fields.

Olives sold at a farmers market

Olives are very high in vitamin E and other powerful antioxidants and iron. Studies show that they are good for the heart and may protect against osteoporosis and cancer.

There are many different kinds of olives, with varying flavours and colours. Greece produces the best varieties of olives in the world and I am sure you all know Kalamata olives.   However, there are many more and if you visit Greece you will find them in all groceries, supermarkets or in any farmers’ market where you will find a bigger variety.  Try them to find your favourites.

eliopsomo photo

However, our eating habits have changed over the decades and rarely do people eat bread and olives for breakfast.

However, if you wrap your olives with either phyllo or yeasted dough, this is something you will want  for breakfast every day!

Eliopita tylichti or strifti, is made by rolling a big piece of phyllo and filling it with olives, onions and aromatic herbs which is then made into a roulade.

Eliopita filling picture

Alternatively, you can can make yeasted dough, spread the olive mixture, same way as with the one with phyllo and make it again into a roll.

elioti roulade coloured picture

 

Eliopitakia is the diminutive of eliopita, so these are mini olive pies, which are usually served as finger food at parties.

Preparing eliopitakia photo

Elioti or eliopsomo, is a bread with olives.

Eliopsomo (olive bread)

The most simple form of the bread is to make a yeasted dough, similar for pizza but instead of adding water, you add orange or mandarin juice.   You then mix the filling ingredients in the dough and let it rise.  You then bake it as you would bake any other bread.  This is called Eliopsomo, which means “Olive Bread”.  See also my other Olive Bread with Rosemary.

Eliopsomo olive bread image

 

You can also make small turnovers.  These were made with yeasted dough but you can also make them with phyllo, same way as Kolokotes (pumpkin turnovers).

Roll out the dough, cut it into discs, using a small plate as your guide, add the filling on one side, cover with the other half and press with a fork to enclose the filling.  Bake until golden.

The filling ingredients are the same for all three.

throubes olives image

You can use Kalamata olives, green olives but my favourite for eliopita are throubes olives.   These olives mature on the tree until they wrinkle and look like raisins but much bigger, that’s why in Greece they call them “stafidiasmenes”, which means wrinkled like raisins.   The best variety is that of Thassos island, which are naturally sweet.  Other varieties of throubes  from other regions, are cured in salt so that their bitterness is removed.

I have twisted this basic recipe many times and one of my creations is this delicious Savoury Cake with Olives.

 olive cake image
Whether you make Eliotes, Eliopitakia, Eliopsomo or Olive Cake, I am sure you will love it, not only during Lent period but any time of the year.

Eliopita, Eliotes or Eliopitakia (Cypriot olive pies)

Eliopita, Eliotes or Eliopitakia (Cypriot olive pies)

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Eliopita, Eliotes or Eliopitakia are Cypriot olive pastries made either as a bread, as a roulade, as turnovers or a pie, to accompany a cup of coffee or tea.

Ingredients

  • Basic dough recipe made with orange juice
  • Sesame seeds or poppy seeds to sprinkle on top
  • Olive oil to brush it on top or egg wash during the non fasting period

Filling:

  • 500 grams (about 2 ½ - 3 cups, pitted) throubes or Kalamata olives, washed, rinsed, stoned and chopped
  • 1 small onion or 3 – 4 fresh spring onions, finely chopped
  • ½ cup fresh mint (or 2 – 3 tbsp dried mint)
  • 1/2 cup fresh coriander (cilantro) or parsley, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Prepare dough and set aside to rest for half an hour.
  2. Mix all the filling ingredients together.

For Eliopitakia:

  1. For the smaller ones, cut phyllo into 6 x 8 cm pieces. Add some filling on one side and make a roll. Press edges with a fork to seal in the filling.
  2. Brush with olive oil or whisk the egg and brush it on top. Cover them with sesame seeds.
  3. Line a baking tin with parchment paper or slightly grease it. Place them in the tin next to each other and bake in a preheated oven to 180o C / 350o F, for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.

For Eliopita:

  1. When the dough is ready roll out into a thin phyllo and spread the filling all over and roll to form into a roulade. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.
  2. Bake in a preheated oven to 180o C / 350o F, for about 50 minutes

For Elioti or eliopsomo (Olive Bread):

  1. Prepare a yeast dough (same as for pizza dough, using orange juice). Knead all the ingredients in the dough and place in a greased baking pan. Cover with cling film and a napkin and set aside to rise. Brush with olive oil.
  2. Bake in a preheated oven to 180o C / 350o F, for 50 – 60 minutes or until golden on top
Cuisine: Cypriot Cuisine / Category: Snacks

 

This and many more pastry recipes are included in my cookbook Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste as well as in Volume 1 of my e-cookbook, sold on all Amazon stores.

olive bread and turnovers image

You can find more Lenten Recipes clicking on the link.

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,

5/5 (2)

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Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast and brunch, Cypriot, Greek, Greek Pies (Pittes), Healthy Recipes, How to make.., Lenten Dishes, My Cookbooks, Nistisima (Lenten), Pites-Pies-Tarts-Galettes, Side Dishes, Snacks, Street food, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: Cypriot cookbook, dough, elies, eliopitakia, eliopsomo, elioti, Kopiaste.. Flavours of Cyprus, lenten, made with phyllo, nistisima, olive bread, olive pie, olive roulade, olive turnovers, olives, pies, Snacks

About Ivy Liacopoulou

Ivy Liacopoulou grew up in Limassol, Cyprus, a beautiful island in the eastern Mediterranean, where her passion for cooking began as a child, helping her mother in the kitchen. Ivy belongs to a new generation of home cooks who loves to experiment and create new recipes of her own. She is the author of two cookbooks and she owns and manages Cooking Classes, in Nafplio, Peloponnese.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bellini Valli

    15/03/2008 at 3:59 pm

    I would love to have this for breakfast or any old time “sis”. The orange juice in the dough is extra special:D

  2. Mansi Desai

    15/03/2008 at 10:14 pm

    ooh!! these look inviting Ivy! wonderful, thanks for sending these for WBB:)

  3. Peter G

    15/03/2008 at 11:23 pm

    Interesting touch with the oj Ivy. I love olives and these look really crispy. Considering how many “elies” you have available in Greece. Where do you begin?

  4. Cakelaw

    16/03/2008 at 2:58 pm

    Yum – I’d like these for breakfast tomorrow please!

  5. Núria

    16/03/2008 at 5:41 pm

    Wow Ivy, I’m sure I would love this one!!!! So flavourful the mixture of the filling. Mmmmmm! 😀

  6. Pixie

    17/03/2008 at 5:52 pm

    Yummy Ivy, I so enjoy visiting your blog and discovering new and delicious dishes!

    oh and marmite, is nothing like wasabi lol it’s difficult to describe- if you like salty food you’ll possibly like marmite

  7. JennDZ - The Leftover Queen

    17/03/2008 at 6:11 pm

    Actually this kind of breakfast is right up my alley! Sounds wonderful!

  8. Elly

    17/03/2008 at 7:08 pm

    ooh I have never had these before Ivy but they look SO good. I just know I would love them.

  9. Ivy

    17/03/2008 at 11:10 pm

    Just a quick note to say thank you everybody for visiting and commenting. I just have so little time lately and cannot spend a lot of time on the computer.

  10. Laurie Constantino

    18/03/2008 at 1:36 pm

    These look delicious Ivy; I’ll bet the sesame seeds really add a lot of flavor. And very cute too!

  11. Emiline

    19/03/2008 at 9:16 pm

    You had my heart when you said, “olive”.
    These pies are so cute looking.
    I’m scared of making my own phyllo. So greeeeat job!

  12. Rosie

    20/03/2008 at 12:02 am

    Oh my these would be lovely for breakfast Ivy. Sounds wonderful 😀

    Rosie x

  13. Susan from Food Blogga

    20/03/2008 at 8:56 pm

    I wouldn’t have any problem switching my oatmeal for this breakfast, Ivy. I love these!

  14. Cynthia

    21/03/2008 at 5:04 am

    I love being introduced to all these dishes.

  15. Passionate baker...& beyond

    22/03/2008 at 4:13 am

    Have a good Easter Ivy. I love the traditional meals you post. Throws light on a new cuisine. These are wonderful! Ciao for now!

  16. Trish Lathourakis

    04/03/2009 at 5:52 am

    Hey Ivy

    I have been searching for these for a long time as the last time I had proper ones I was in my Yiayia’s vilage in Prothromos.

    Whenever my famliy bakes bread, we always use OJ, but also cinnamon water, it just gives it a nice subtle spice and colour to the dough.

    Can’t wait to try them this weekend : )

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