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 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.
If you are a pasta lover you might want to have a better insight into all Greek pasta varieties. Get to know the local varieties of fresh homemade pasta linked to different islands and regions in Greece.
Skioufichta is a type of pasta used in the making of many core dishes in Cretan cuisine.
What’s so special about skioufichta?
This type of pasta is not made by making phyllo like other types of fresh pasta. Skioufichta is a pasta made out of dough. Their name “skioufihta” or “skioufikta” comes from the verb “skioufizo“, which means “to turn” in Cretan dialect.
They therefore essentially bear the name of their manufacturing process. In order to give skioufichta this distinct shape you have to cut the dough in small pieces forming long strings with each one of the dough pieces. Then you have to cut in smaller pieces and gently press with your finger while rolling each one of the dough pieces to create a cavity.
Don’t worry, you can find skioufichta in lots of food stores in Crete to prepare multiple recipes without any hustle. Or taste several local dishes with this Cretan pasta as a core ingredient in rustic taverns or upscale restaurants.
Its unique shape and chewy texture make it a delightful surprise especially if it’s paired with a selection of Cretan cheese varieties. Embark on a culinary adventure through Crete, exploring three mouthwatering recipes that celebrate this unique pasta.
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 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 together.
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 in 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 spinkle 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. Altertively, you can place the cheese in a bowl adding 1-2 tablespoons of warm pasta water 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 flavour, you can add spring onions and 1 tablespoon sweet corn.
Instead of skioufichta you can use Cretan carob pasta, as a gluten-free option.
Is skioufichta gluten-free?
No, skioufichta pasta is not gluten-free. It’s traditionally made from wheat flour, which gives it its characteristic chewiness. However, you can explore gluten-free alternatives such as Cretan pasta made from carob flour. Read more below about the Cretan carob and dive into one of the most distinctive, nutritious treasures of Cretan land.
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 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, improving 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.
Cretan gastronomy is part of the local culture and everyday life.
Dive into a culinary journey through Crete
What’s your favourite pasta? Don’t forget to check out the digital Cretan cookbook created by Taste the Local Crete to bring the real flavours of the island at your table. Cook 50+ easy, homemade recipes of the daily Cretan cuisine and share the authentic, traditional tastes of Crete with your loved ones.
Cretan gastronomy is not just unique flavours and dishes. It is part of the local culture and everyday life. Bon appétit, fellow food explorers!
Local food experiences in Crete
For more authentic tastes on the island of Crete, check our local food experiences to be part of memorable cooking seminars and unique extra virgin olive oil & wine tasting experiences.
Get to taste the finest, organic Cretan products and meet the local producers applying sustainable practices throughout the cultivation and production processes.
