Karpuzopita is a late-summer dessert from the Cyclades, often associated with the island of Milos. Mashed, drained watermelon is mixed with flour, fine semolina, honey, cinnamon, and olive oil, then baked in a sesame-sprinkled pan. Despite the word pita in its name, it has no pastry. The edges caramelize while the center stays soft but holds together when sliced. The riper the watermelon, the less sugar the dessert needs.
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F. Grease a 25 × 35 cm baking pan with olive oil and sprinkle half the sesame seeds evenly over the bottom.
Cut the watermelon flesh into large chunks and remove the seeds. Set a strainer over a bowl and crush the watermelon by hand in the strainer. Let the juice drain into the bowl, leaving a coarse watermelon mash in the strainer. Do not use the drained juice in this recipe.
Mix the drained watermelon with the sugar, honey, cinnamon, cloves, and olive oil. Add the flour and semolina and stir until no lumps remain. The batter should be thin and flow slowly from a spoon, like a loose cake batter.
Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth it with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds over the top.
Bake on the middle rack for 50–60 minutes. The edges should darken and caramelize, the sesame seeds should turn golden, and the center should no longer wobble when the pan is shaken.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the dessert cool on a wire rack. Once set, cut it into squares with a sharp knife and serve at room temperature.
Let the karpuzopita cool in the pan for at least half an hour before slicing. The center is soft while hot and may fall apart when cut.
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