Mastelo Cheese and Myrtle Biscuits
Rustic Greek-style drop biscuits combining creamy Mastelo cheese with the subtle anise notes of myrtle berries and oregano. Quick to make and perfect alongside soups, salads, or as a savory snack with olives and wine.
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
- Use cold butter straight from the refrigerator
- Measure dry ingredients before mixing
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and crushed oregano.
- Make sure there are no lumps in the baking powder.
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Ready when: mixture looks evenly combined with no streaks
Tip: Crushing oregano between your fingers releases its oils and ensures it distributes evenly
Cut in cold butter
- Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture.
- Using a fork or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
- This should take 2–3 minutes.
- Do not overwork.
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Ready when: mixture has visible butter flecks and resembles coarse sand
Tip: Cold butter creates steam pockets that make biscuits light and flaky—warm butter will make them dense
Add cheese and berries
- Fold in the crumbled Mastelo cheese and crushed myrtle berries gently with a wooden spoon until just combined.
- Try to keep the cheese pieces intact rather than mixing them into a paste.
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Ready when: cheese and berries are evenly distributed throughout
Tip: Overmixing will break down the cheese and make the biscuits tough—fold just until you see no dry flour
Add buttermilk and oil
- Pour the cold buttermilk and olive oil into the bowl.
- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently stir until a shaggy dough comes together.
- Stop as soon as there are no visible dry flour bits; the dough will be slightly sticky and uneven, and that is correct.
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Ready when: no dry flour visible; dough is shaggy and slightly moist
Tip: Overworking the dough develops gluten and toughens the biscuits—mix just until it comes together
Shape and bakeOven 400°F / 205°C
- Using a spoon or small ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons per biscuit), drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- You should have 12 biscuits.
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 14–16 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
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Ready when: tops are deep golden brown; center is set and no longer wet inside
Tip: Do not open the oven door in the first 12 minutes—sudden temperature drop can cause biscuits to sink
Cool and serve
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the biscuits rest for 3–5 minutes on the pan.
- Transfer to a wire rack or serve warm.
- They are best enjoyed within a few hours but can be stored in an airtight container.
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Ready when: biscuits are warm to the touch but not piping hot
Tip: Warm biscuits are more tender—eat within the first hour for the best texture
Good to know
Tips
- Mastelo is a hard, aged cow or goat cheese from Crete with a creamy interior and crumbly texture—if unavailable, look for aged Graviera or Kasseri cheese in Greek or Mediterranean markets
- Dried myrtle berries can be sourced online or from specialty spice shops; they have a subtle anise-juniper flavor that's distinctly Aegean but not overpowering
- For extra moisture and tanginess, brush the warm biscuits with a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice before serving
- These biscuits pair beautifully with Greek yogurt, olives, cured meats, or a simple tomato and cucumber salad
Storage & reheating
Room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes to refresh. Freezer: wrap individually and freeze for up to 1 month; reheat from frozen at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes.
Substitutions
- Mastelo cheese, aged → aged feta or Graviera cheese. Mastelo is a hard, tangy Greek cheese; feta works if you crumble it fine, though the flavor will be sharper. Graviera is milder and closer in texture.
- dried myrtle berries → crushed juniper berries or fennel seeds. Juniper adds piney notes; fennel mimics the anise quality of myrtle. Use the same amount.
- buttermilk, cold → milk mixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar, left to sit 5 minutes. The acidity helps activate the baking powder and creates tender crumb. Mix and let stand before using.
- dried oregano → fresh thyme or marjoram. Use half the amount if fresh (1 tsp fresh = 2 tsp dried). Thyme is slightly minty; marjoram is closer to oregano's earthiness.
