Παστελλάκι φιστικιού (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). © Μουσείο Κυπριακών Τροφίμων και Διατροφής.
Traditional sweet made from pure and nutritious ingredients of the Cypriot cuisine. Pastellaki was one of the typical delicacies sold in the open-air markets during festivals.
Name - Recipe
Παστέλι φιστικιού.
Version A
2 cups of sesame seeds
2 cups peanuts
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp white vinegar
Version B
Peanut
Sesame
1 tbsp honey
1 glass of white sugar
Version A
Toast the peanuts in the oven, then put them in a mixer and blitz them with an egg beater to remove the shells. To get the shell off completely, take a hair dryer and blow air into them (outside the house). Toast the sesame seeds in the oven. Put the honey in a non-stick saucepan with the sugar and vinegar. When they have dissolved, add the roasted peanuts and sesame seeds to this mixture and stir continuously for 8 minutes with a wooden spoon. Lightly butter a plastic dish with vegetable butter and spread the mixture and even it out. Then rub your rolling pin with butter and flatten the mixture in the dish, making an even slab. Then using a ruler, butter a knife or pizza cutter and cut the pastellaki into squares. (buttering is essential). (Stella Mallouppa)
Version B
Toast the peanuts and sesame seeds. In a saucepan, add the honey and sugar to make caramel. Add the toasted peanuts and sesame seeds. Stir them together and then spread the paste on parchment paper to cool down. Cut it into any shape you like. (Charalambous 2006, 304)
Toasting.
As for the toasting, if you have a wood-fired oven heat it well, add the peanuts and sesame seeds and stir constantly to achieve the desired colour. This is done for large quantities.
Store the pastellaki in a cool place away from insects, in a glass or stainless steel container, and in an odor-free area. In the summer it cannot be stored due to heat. (Stella Mallouppa)
Functional and symbolic role
Pastellaki is nowadays also used in dieting to prevent us from eating too much sugar. It reduces the appetite for more sweets.
It was sold especially at festivals.
Additional information and bibliography
Charalambous, P. (2006). Eptakomi: from ancient times to the present day, Larnaca.
Oral testimony: Stella Mallouppa. Recording: Stephanie Christou.
Stephanie Christou/Eleni Christou, Petroula Handittofi
Παρασκευή παστελιού. Το σησάμι καβουρδίζεται στο φούρνο ή στο τηγάνι (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Τα βασικά υλικά του παστελιού, μέλι, ζάχαρη, φιστίκια και σησάμι, αναμειγνύονται στην κατσαρόλα (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Το μείγμα του παστελιού, έτοιμο στην κατσαρόλα (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Το μείγμα του παστελιού απλώνεται ομοιόμορφα σε δίσκο, με χρήση πλάστη (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Παστελλάκι, απλωμένο σε δίσκο (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Το κόψιμο του παστελλιού (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Παστελλάκι φιστικιού, κομμένο σε μεγάλα κομμάτια (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Κόψιμο του παστελιού σε μικρά κομμάτια, για σερβίρισμα (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
Παστελλάκι φιστικού (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
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