Sfakiani Pita – The Sweet & Savoury Treasure of Crete
Or should I say, Sfachiani pitaaa 🤌 — because when you’ve tasted it fresh from the pan in the villages of Crete, the pronunciation comes with a little extra love. This simple but utterly divine flatbread filled with creamy cheese and finished with a drizzle of local thyme honey was one of the culinary highlights of my time in Crete. We kept ordering it again and again — and every time it arrived, warm and golden, it felt like a gift.
What Is Sfakiani Pita?
Sfakiani Pita (Σφακιανή πίτα) hails from Sfakia, a rugged and beautiful region in southern Crete, known for its proud mountain traditions, resilient people, and some of the island’s most unique foods. This isn’t your usual layered or fluffy pita — it’s thin, pan-fried, and filled with a tangy, creamy cheese like xynomyzithra, a local sour whey cheese made from sheep’s or goat’s milk.
Once cooked, it's drizzled with Cretan thyme honey — floral, fragrant, and golden — creating a perfect balance of sweet, salty, sour, and savory in each bite.
It’s rustic, it’s nourishing, and it’s the kind of dish that shows how Cretan cuisine has mastered the art of simplicity with depth.
Why You'll Love It
If you’ve ever had honey over Greek cheese, you already know what a dreamy pairing it is. But Sfakiani Pita takes it one step further by wrapping the cheese inside fresh dough, then pan-frying it until golden. It’s the kind of snack that works at any time of day — breakfast, midday nibble, or as a meze on the dinner table.
SFAKIANI PITA - Cretan Pan Fried Pita filled with Mizithra Served with Honey
Mary PolitisIngredients
For the Dough
- 500 g plain flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 shot of raki
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
For the Filling
- 100 g manouri or well-drained ricotta
- 100 g feta or soft goat’s cheese Meredith Dairy works beautifully
- A light sprinkle of salt
OR
- 200 g Cretan Myzithra ξινομυζήθρα if you’re lucky enough to find it
To Finish
- Cretan thyme honey or the best honey you have
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, water, raki, olive oil, and salt. Mix until it comes together, then knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Make the Filling
- In a bowl, crumble together the ricotta (or manouri) and feta, adding a little salt if needed. Roll into 9–10 small cheese balls and set aside.
Shape the Pitas
- Divide the rested dough into 9–10 equal portions (about 70g each). Roll each one into a ball.
- Flatten a ball slightly with your rolling pin, place a cheese ball in the center, then fold the edges over the cheese filling to seal it in like a little pouch.
- Place the seam-side down on your surface and gently flatten with your hands, then roll out carefully into a thin disc — about 15–18cm wide. Take your time with this step to avoid tearing the dough. If it resists, rotate and roll in the opposite direction.
- Place the completed pitas onto baking paper while you roll the rest.
Cook the Pitas
- Heat a heavy pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with just a touch of olive oil. Cook each pita for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden brown spots appear and the dough is cooked through.
Serve
- Transfer to a plate, and while still warm, drizzle generously with thyme honey. Eat immediately — ideally with a cup of Greek coffee or a shot of raki on the side.