Norlu katmer (Cypriot anari cheese pastry)
- Mar 28
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 5
Norlu katmer is a savoury, oven-baked pastry made with nor, a mild and delicately crumbly Cypriot cheese (known as anari in Greek).
The nor cheese is broken up with a fork, before mixing with double cream, dried mint and ground cinnamon, making a deliciously rich and fragrant filling. Once baked, the pastries turn golden and crisp, and are best served hot or warm, dipped in honey or sugar. The balance of savoury and sweet flavours makes them a real treat to eat and perfect for breakfast.
What is nor cheese?
Traditionally made from sheep’s or goat’s milk, nor is a by-product of halloumi production (watch how village halloumi is made in our video). It is used in a variety of desserts and pastries, like the Cypriot version of ekmek kadayıfı.
In its soft form, nor has a mild flavour and a light, crumbly texture. It most closely resembles Italian ricotta cheese, which can be used as a substitute in our recipe, although ricotta is usually softer and creamier.
Nor can also be salted and dried to create a firm, hard cheese with a stronger flavour. This version is typically grated over dishes such as magarina bulli (fried chicken and pasta), similar to how pecorino is used in Italian cooking.
Turkish lor cheese is also very similar to nor in its texture and flavour. It is made as a by-product of Turkish cheese production, like beyaz peynir, rather than halloumi.
Watch our video to see how traditional nor/anari cheese is made:
Makes 24 | Preparation time: 20 minutes | Baking time: 30 to 40 minutes
Cooking tips:
If you can't find nor cheese, you can use Turkish lor cheese or Italian ricotta instead. If you use a softer cheese, you may not need to add the optional splash of milk, as the filling mixture may already be creamy.
Use thin filo pastry (baklava-style filo) rather than standard filo, as this gives the crisp texture needed when baked.
Brush the ends of the pastries generously with double cream to prevent them from drying out or burning.
Gently pierce the pastries all over to allow air to escape and prevent them from bursting open during baking.
Ingredients
500g unsalted nor/anari cheese (available in most Cypriot supermarkets) | 500ml double cream, plus 100ml extra for greasing and brushing |
1 tsp salt, or as desired | 1 ½ tsp dried mint |
¼ tsp ground cinnamon | 12 sheets of baklava filo pastry (thinner than standard filo pastry) |
Splash of milk (optional) |
Method
Watch our video to see how we prepare norlu katmer, or follow the steps below:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4 and grease 2 large 5x30x40cm oven trays with a little double cream.
In a large bowl, break up the cheese with a fork until crumbly. Then, add 500ml of the double cream, salt, dried mint and ground cinnamon, mixing well with a fork until the cheese is evenly distributed. You can add a splash of milk to make it easier to spread, but this is optional (you don't want it too runny otherwise the pastry won't bake well).
Lay two sheets of filo pastry on a flat surface. Spoon 8–9 tbsp of the cheese mixture over the top sheet, then spread it evenly with the back of a spoon to cover the surface.
Take the two sheets of filo pastry, including the one covered with the cheese mixture, and roll them from the bottom into a long roll about 4cm wide.
Place each roll (katmer) in the oven tray 1-2cm apart. You might need to squash the katmer inwards a bit to fit them in if they are too wide.
Brush 1-2 tbsp of double cream over each katmer, making sure to coat the edges so they don’t burn. Pierce each one gently with a knife so that it is 1cm wide and deep, every 5cm along the katmer.
Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until the katmer are lightly browned all over.
Cut into 10cm pieces and serve hot with some honey or sugar on the side to dip the pastries into.
