«Έψημα σταφυλιού, βασικό υλικό για τα ρετσ̆έλλια» Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου
This recipe uses apples or quinces which are prepared using grape must as a sweetener and originates from Marathasa valley.
Name - Recipe
Rets̆ellia are a type of sweet made with fruit or vegetables that are baked and preserved in grape syrup (petimezi).
ETYM. < Persian rical, meaning marshmallow, or Turkish recel, meaning preserved fruit (Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Ρετσέλια, 126).
10 cups of grape must
1 kg of apples or quinces
Cut the apples or quinces into thin slices after washing and wiping them dry. Place them on a tray lined with a towel and place them in the sun to dry. Turn them over daily. Boil the grape must for about seven minutes. Add the dried apples or quinces and let them boil for a short time, but not to melt. Remove them from the heat and when completely cool, store them in sterile glass jars (Kythraiotou 2013, 63).
Drying in the sun.
Boiling.
Preserving in fruit syrup.
The dry pieces of apple or quince were boiled in grape must until the must thickened well and became like epsima (Kythrayotou 2013, 41).
In Kampos tis Tsakistras they used to make rets̆ellia with red pumpkin. According to Chrysanthos Kyprianou, rets̆ellia with pumpkin were prepared as follows: 'They cut the red pumpkin into small slices and put them in a basin with water, where they would add a pouch with lime to make them firm. They would leave them soaking for about five hours. Then they were taken out and left to drain. When the epsima was starting to set, they would throw them in (a little slowly so as not to melt them). They would store them in large dessert bottles. Some housewives used dried apricots instead of red pumpkin" (Kyprianou 1974, 301-302).
Functional and symbolic role
In Marathasa valley, they used to make rets̆ellia before sugar became widespread. They are considered the precursor of spoon sweets (Kythrayotou 2013, 41).
Rets̆ellia were served on slices of bread (Kyprianou 1974, 302).
Additional information and bibliography
See article on Retshellia/Rets̆éllia in the Food section. See ‘spoon sweets’ recipe in the Recipes section.
Kythraiotou, F. (2013). Gastronomic guide of Marathasa, Ministry of Education and Culture - Pedagogical Institute, Nicosia.
Kyprianou, H. S. (1974), "Food from the village of Tsakistra in Cyprus", Λαογραφία KΘ΄ (ХΧΙΧ), En Athinais, 295-310.
Petrou-Poeitou E. (2013), Where do they come from. Words and stories from the world of taste, Epiphaniou Publications, Nicosia.
Tonia Ioakim, Petroulla Hadjittofi, Argyro Xenophontos
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