Name given to molluscs such as squid, cuttlefish, octopus in certain areas of Cyprus.
Name - Origin
In some areas of Cyprus, squid, cuttlefish and octopus were called agná (=pure), because it is believed that they are clean, without scales, bones or blood (Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus, vol. 6, entry καλαμάριν,το, 199).
Xenophon P. Farmakidis notes that the bloodless sea animals, i.e. molluscs, such as cuttlefish and octopus, are called agná by the people in the coastal villages of Famagusta district (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry αγνά,τα, 507).
According to Pharmakidis, they are also pronounced ahná. It is noted that in the singular the word is agnón or ahnón (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry αγνά,τα, 507).
They are consumed fried, grilled and "kathistá" (cooked with wine) (Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus, vol. 3, entry αφροκαλάμαρον,το, 93).
Additional information and bibliography
Kypri T. D. (ed.) (1983 [2003²]), Materials for the compilation of a historical dictionary of the Cypriot dialect, Part B, Glossary of Xenophontos P. Pharmakidou, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, IX, Nicosia.
Pavlides A. (ed.) (1985), Great Encyclopedia of Cyprus, vol. 3, vol. 6, Filokypros, Nicosia.
Kyriaki Panteli, Argyro Xenophontos
Foods
Fishing and fish dishes
In recent years, in Cyprus, fish was served as follows: oftá (chargrilled), fried, hoglastá (boiled), savóro (marinated), plakí (in the oven) and yahní (in tomato sauce).