When we think of watermelon, we rarely picture it in a cake – but in Greek tradition, watermelon is much more than a summer refreshment. In some parts of Greece, especially on the islands, it has been used for centuries to prepare sweet pies. The name karpouzinopita comes from the Greek word karpouzi (watermelon) and pita (pie), which in translation means exactly what it is – watermelon pie. Unusual and refreshing, it is ideal for summer days, especially if you have a ripe watermelon and want to use it in an interesting way.
Ingredients:
- 1kg of peeled watermelon
- 150 g of plain flour
- 3–4 spoons of honey
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil (recommended The Chef’s Way extra virgin olive oil)
- cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
- white sesame
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 190°C. Prepare a baking tray by coating it with olive oil and sprinkling half of the sesame seeds on the bottom.
- Grate the watermelon on a coarse grater directly into a large bowl, to save all the juice. Remove any seeds.
- Add flour, honey, olive oil, cinnamon and a pinch of salt to the same bowl. Mix everything together – you should get a thin but uniform dough.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, level and sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds over the surface.
- Bake the pie until the edges are caramelized and the center is firm. The surface layer should be nicely browned.
- Let the pie cool for 5 minutes before slicing. It’s best when it’s completely cooled and set.
Tips:
- Choose watermelon as ripe and sweet as possible – that’s the key to taste.
- If desired, you can add finely chopped nuts to the mixture, such as walnuts or almonds, which will enrich the texture and add additional aroma.
- Don’t expect a classic “crispy pie” – the structure is more like a fruit cake.
