Skioufichta: A taste of Crete’s heart and soul

At the heart of Cretan gastronomy lies a humble yet extraordinary ingredient: skioufichta pasta. The traditional Cretan pasta is used as a canvas for multiple recipes. Don’t miss the chance to taste a selection of dishes at the core of the local cuisine.

Skioufichta is made from whole-wheat flour, water, salt, and olive oil or butter, creating a pasta that perfectly exemplifies the unprocessed, natural ingredients that made the Cretan diet famous worldwide.

When American physiologist Ancel Keys studied Mediterranean eating patterns in the 1950s, dishes like skioufichta were exactly what he found on Cretan tables: simple, nutrient, nutrient-dense foods that contributed to remarkably low rates of heart disease.

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Skioufichta is a type of pasta used in the making of many core dishes in Cretan cuisine.

What is skioufichta pasta?

The pasta is made from water, wheat flour (often a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour), salt, and extra virgin olive oil, but the technique sets it apart from other pasta varieties. Unlike phyllo-based pasta, skioufichta uses a dough-rolling method that creates its characteristic shape and texture.

The traditional process involves:

• Cutting dough into small pieces
• Rolling each piece into thin strips
• Pressing with fingers while rolling to create a cavity
• Cutting dough into small pieces
• Rolling each piece into thin strips
• Pressing with fingers while rolling to create a cavity

 

Their name “skioufichta” comes from the verb “skioufizo“, which means “to turn” in Cretan dialect.

You can find skioufichta in lots of food stores in Crete to prepare multiple recipes. Or taste several local dishes with this Cretan pasta as a core ingredient in rustic taverns or upscale restaurants.

 

Texture and Cooking Properties

The rustic, chewy texture of skioufichta makes it perfect for absorbing the rich flavors of the accompanying sauces. This isn’t just about taste; the texture allows the pasta to hold traditional Cretan ingredients like wild greens, local cheese varieties, and olive oil-based sauces.

 

Traditional Serving Methods

Served in a deep dish, hot stakovoutiro is poured over the pasta, which is then sprinkled with grated anthotiro, mizithra, or feta and olive oil. This simple preparation showcases the Mediterranean principle of letting quality ingredients speak for themselves.

The pasta is typically served with grated hard Cretan cheese, such as “anthotiros” or “tirozouli“, demonstrating how traditional Cretan meals combined pasta with local dairy products from free-grazing animals.

 

 

Skioufichta cooked in meat broth (makaronia syzouma)

Serves 2 portions

Cooking time: 3 hours

 

What you need

500g meat, cut into large pieces (you can use any kind of meat: lamb, goat, rooster, chicken, or beef)

1L boiling water Salt, to taste

250g Cretan skioufihta pasta

Grated hard anthotyros cheese or any other type of hard cheese

 

Cooking steps

Step 1

In a wide casserole, cook the meat on medium heat, adding enough boiling water to cover the meat pieces.

Step 2

Cover with the lid and bring to a boil. Now and then, skim the surface of the broth using a perforated spoon. Add a good pinch of salt, reduce the heat, and simmer until the meat becomes tender.

Step 3

Cook for approximately 2 1/2 hours and pierce with a knife to check that the meat is tender.

Step 4

When meat is cooked, remove it from the casserole, add a pinch of salt, and set aside to cool a little.

Step 5

Strain the meat broth into a different casserole.

Step 6

Place the casserole with the broth on the heat and add the skioufihta pasta. Cook the pasta for approximately 15 minutes. For this recipe, we don’t need the pasta to absorb all the liquid.

Step 7

Place the pasta on a plate, add a small quantity of the liquid from the casserole, and serve with grated anthotyros cheese or any other type of hard cheese.

 

Tips & Hacks

You can store the meat broth in the freezer and use it to boil pasta anytime you want. Instead of skioufihta, you can also use thick spaghetti pasta.

 

Skioufichta with Cretan apaki meat

Serves 4 portions

Cooking time: 20 minutes

 

What you need

500g skioufihta pasta Salt and pepper, to taste

400g Cretan apaki meat (pork or chicken apaki, or use smoked pancetta)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Oregano or thyme, to taste

5-6 cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)

1 glass of white wine

Grated anthotyros cheese, to garnish

 

Cooking steps

Step 1

Cook the pasta in boiling water with a good amount of salt, following the instructions on the package.

Step 2

At the same time, cook the apaki meat for 5 minutes in a pan over medium heat with olive oil and oregano or thyme.

Step 3

Add some cherry tomatoes to give a nice sweet flavour.

Step 4

Once the meat has a nice roasted texture, pour over the white wine and cook for about 1 minute to let the alcohol evaporate.

Step 5

Add some boiling water from the pasta to the pan and then add the pasta, mixing all the ingredients.

Step 6

Serve with some pepper over the top and hard-grated anthotyros cheese, or any other cheese with a hard texture.

 

Tips & Hacks

Skioufihta is a Cretan type of pasta regularly cooked in the most simple way. Adding just some hard-grated anthotyros cheese over the pasta is the best way to taste it. Alternatively, you can crumble some feta cheese on top.

Cretan pasta salad with skioufichta and galomizithra cheese

Serves 2 portions

Cooking time: 20 minutes

 

What you need

250g Cretan skioufihta pasta

400gr Galomizithra cheese or feta cheese

7-8 sun-dried tomatoes chopped

1 green pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

oregano

 

Cooking steps

Step 1

Boil the skioufichta pasta until tender. Don’t forget to save a portion of the pasta water. Drain.

Step 2

Chop the sun-dried tomatoes.

Step 3

Cut the pepper into thin slices.

Step 4

In the same pot or a large bowl, add the warm pasta along with the sun-dried tomatoes and the pepper.

Step 5

Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (not more than 1-2 tablespoons) and sprinkle with a pinch of oregano.

Step 6

Use your hands to crumble the galomizithra cheese (or feta cheese) on top of the pasta and gently stir so that the cheese melts nicely. Alternatively, you can place the cheese in a bowl, adding 1-2 tablespoons of warm pasta water,r stirring gently until you have a creamy mixture.  

 

Tips & Hacks

If you use feta cheese for this recipe, you can easily create a creamy mixture following this tip: in a small bowl add the feta cheese with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil giving it a good stir. Add one more tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil if needed. For extra flavor, you can add spring onions and 1 tablespoon of sweet corn.

 

 

Instead of skioufichta you can use Cretan carob pasta, as a gluten-free option.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What does skioufichta taste like?

Chewy texture with mild wheat flavor that pairs perfectly with strong Cretan cheeses

Skioufichta has a distinctive chewy, substantial texture that sets it apart from regular pasta. The handmade rolling process creates small pockets and irregular surfaces that hold sauces effectively. The flavor is mild and wheaty, allowing the pasta to serve as a neutral canvas for traditional Cretan ingredients.

When you bite into properly cooked skioufichta, you’ll notice its firm texture that doesn’t become mushy even when cooked in broth for extended periods. This durability comes from the traditional hand-rolling technique and the use of whole-wheat flour. The pasta’s surface irregularities mean it grabs onto olive oil, cheese, and herb flavors much better than smooth, machine-made pasta.

The wheat flavor is more pronounced than refined pasta because skioufichta uses whole-wheat flour. This gives it a slightly nutty undertone that complements the earthy flavors of wild greens, aged cheeses, and extra virgin olive oil that are staples in traditional Cretan cooking.

 

Can I substitute other pasta for skioufichta?

Thick spaghetti works for broth recipes, but the unique texture makes skioufichta irreplaceable

For the meat broth recipe (makaronia syzouma), you can use thick spaghetti as a substitute. The cooking method works similarly, and the pasta will absorb the broth flavors effectively. However, you’ll miss the distinctive texture that makes skioufichta special in traditional Cretan dishes.

The hand-rolled shape of skioufichta creates small cavities and irregular surfaces that machine-made pasta simply cannot replicate. These textural differences matter significantly when preparing traditional dishes like cheese-based recipes, where the pasta needs to hold crumbled cheese and olive oil.

If you cannot find skioufichta, other acceptable substitutes include short, thick pasta shapes like penne or rigatoni, which have some ability to hold sauces and cheese. However, these won’t provide the authentic eating experience that comes with the traditional hand-rolled pasta. The best approach is to order skioufichta online from specialty Greek food suppliers or make it yourself using the traditional method.

Is skioufichta gluten-free?

Traditional skioufichta contains gluten, but Cretan carob pasta offers a gluten-free alternative

Traditional skioufichta contains wheat flour, which means it’s not suitable for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. The pasta depends on gluten for its characteristic chewy texture and ability to hold together during the hand-rolling process.

Crete offers a natural gluten-free alternative through carob pasta. Carob flour is naturally sweet and high in fiber, making it an excellent substitute that maintains the authentic Cretan flavor profile.

The carob tree produces pods that are ground into flour, creating a product that’s not only gluten-free but also caffeine-free and rich in antioxidants. When using carob pasta, you’re still eating a traditional Cretan ingredient that local people have used for generations.

The carob is a unique fruit, intensely cultivated in Crete. It’s used regularly in Cretan gastronomy, both in savory and sweet recipes. Various local products are made from carob and are regularly used in cooking, such as carob syrup with vinegar, chocolates with carob, and Cretan Rusk made from carob flour. Carob flour is a great option for gluten-free recipes.

And, carob powder can substitute for chocolate or cocoa because it’s a caffeine-free product. But what makes carob so special is that it’s a high-fiber natural product, improves normal bowel movement, and it’s, at the same time, a low-fat product, with important health benefits, as it reduces the levels of <<bad>> cholesterol. It’s considered a natural superfood.

 

How long does skioufichta take to cook?

Fresh skioufichta cooks in 15-20 minutes, rising to the surface when nearly done

Fresh skioufichta typically cooks in 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness and how much dough was used in the rolling process. The pasta is done when it rises to the surface of the boiling water, then continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes for the perfect texture.

The cooking time varies based on whether you’re using fresh homemade pasta or dried store-bought versions. Fresh pasta cooks faster because it contains more moisture, while dried skioufichta from packages may require 20-25 minutes of cooking time.

When cooking skioufichta in broth (like the traditional makaronia syzouma), the pasta needs to cook for about 15 minutes in the meat broth. The key is not to let the pasta absorb all the liquid – you want some broth remaining to serve with the dish. This cooking method creates a heartier, more flavorful result than cooking in plain water.

 

What’s the best cheese to serve with skioufichta?

Anthotyros, mizithra, and galomizithra are traditional choices that complement the pasta’s texture

Traditional Cretan cheeses like anthotyros, mizithra, and creamy galomizithra work best with skioufichta because they’re specifically designed to pair with this pasta. These hard, aged cheeses have sharp, tangy flavors that balance the mild wheat taste of the pasta.

Anthotyros is a hard cheese with a peppery flavor that becomes more intense as it ages. It grates well over hot pasta and melts slightly from the heat, creating the perfect texture contrast. Mizithra comes in both fresh and aged varieties – the fresh version creates a creamy sauce when mixed with pasta water, while aged mizithra provides a sharp, salty flavor.

Galomizithra has a unique creamy texture that works particularly well in cold pasta salads. When you crumble it over warm pasta, it creates a creamy coating without completely melting. If you can’t find these traditional cheeses, feta cheese works as a substitute, though it has a different flavor profile. For feta, mix it with olive oil to create a smoother texture that coats the pasta better.

 

 

 

Cretan gastronomy is part of the local culture and everyday life.

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This digital recipe guide works perfectly on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop, making it easy to cook authentic Cretan dishes like skioufichta no matter where you are.

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