Eliopittes or eliotes - olive pies
Ελιόπιττα ©Stalo Lazarou
Eliopittes are appetising and delicious; during baking the oil from the olives is absorbed into the dough (Pharmakidou, 2003 p. 302).
Name - Origin
Ελιόπιτα, ελιόπιττες.
Pies with olives. Pharmakidou XP (2003, p. 302) A preparation that resembles eliópsomo (bread with olives).
They are also called eliotés (Pharmakidou, 2003 p. 302). They were also called eliopoúles or eliénes (Kypri, Protopapa, 2003, pp. 123, 277).
Traditionally, eliopittes were made as follows: Olives and chopped onion were added into the bread dough. After kneading the dough for a while, it was shaped into small bread pieces and these were baked in the oven (Pharmakidou XP, 2003 p.302)
Functional and symbolic role
Eliopittes are appetising and delicious, because during baking, the oil from the olives to absorbed into the dough (Pharmakidou, 2003 p. 302)
Eliopittes were prepared and consumed mainly during periods of fasting (Kypri, Protopapa, 2003 p. 123).
In the regions of Karavas, Lapithos, Rizokarpasso, Lefka and Paphos, eliopittes were made using sourdough in which olives, spearmint, onion and olive oil were added. In other villages, fresh coriander or fennel was added to the dough. In some villages of Paphos, olives, spearmint and sautéed onion were added to the dough. In Kythrea eliopittes were rolled (Kypri, Protopapa, 2003 p. 123).
Additional information and bibliography
Pharmakidou XP (1983). Glossary of X. P. Pharmakidou, (Materials for the compilation of the Historical Dictionary of the Cypriot Dialect, part B', ed. Th. D. Kypri), Centre for Scientific Research, Nicosia, 2nd ed., 2003.
Kypri Th. - Protopapa K. A. (2003), Παραδοσιακά ζυμώματα της Κύπρου. Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XVIII, Nicosia.
Stalo Lazarou, Demetra Demetriou
Traditional Recipes
Black Olives
“…salt them and leave them in the basin. Stir them until the salt dissolves and they are ready” (Testimony of Panagiota Charalambous, Kyperounda).
Foods
Eliá - olive
Harvesting of olives was usually taking place in two periods, according to the type of olives to be produced. In late August or early September, when olives were still green, Cypriots would pick a…
Foods
Elies koumniastes - Black olives koumniastes
Elies koumniastes were prepared using ripe black olives. Cypriot women would wash the olives, they would put them in brine for 3-4 days and would store them in a koumna (clay container) with salt.
Traditional Recipes
Eliopitta - pl. Eliopittes - olive pie(s)
Often, eliopitta has the shape of a small round bun and contains whole olives. In other cases, it may be kneaded with pieces of olives, onion and fresh coriander/spearmint, or it may be a rolled pie…
Foods
Eliopittes or eliotes - olive pies
Eliopittes are appetising and delicious; during baking the oil from the olives is absorbed into the dough (Pharmakidou, 2003 p. 302).
Traditional Recipes
English-style pie with aphelia filling
An English pie with Cypriot aphelia filling served with mashed potatoes
Traditional Recipes
Flaounopitta
Flaoúna, a traditional Cypriot pie, is the most characteristic Easter delicacy prepared and/or consumed in all households in Cyprus. This recipe, which was developed in more recent times, is…
Foods
Kipriaki epitrapezia elia - Cypriot table olives
The Cypriot table olive is produced from a local Cypriot variety of olives, cultivated all over the island.
Traditional Recipes
Kolokotes Maratheftikes- Butternut squash pies
A special variation of a well-known and beloved Cypriot pies with butternut squash. In Marathasa, kolokotes were usually savoury.
Traditional Recipes
Milopitta - Apple pie
A sweet pie with an apple, cinnamon, sugar and rosewater filling.
Traditional Recipes
Pickled Olives
“Close the container and leave them for 40 days, but stir them daily. After 40 days, if the olives have too much water, remove the excess. Add the olive oil and vinegar” (Eleni Filippou, Kyperounda)
Traditional Recipes
Pitta (satži) served with cream and spoon sweets
A contemporary recipe with pitta cooked on a non-stick pan (in place of the traditional satži) combined with cream and spoon sweets.
Traditional Recipes
Pittes riziastes
The rice filling also contains fried onion, fennel and sugar. These large pittas are served hot, with a drizzle of honey on top.
Traditional Recipes
Tripites
In the old days, they would use sourdough in this recipe and would cook the tripites in gastra, a thin stone which they would place on wood fire. The recipe comes from Kathikas in the district of…
Traditional Recipes
Tsakkistes green olives
“Crack the olives. Place them in a container with water. Add the water, salt and lemon juice and mix. Put the olives in bottles and fill them with the marinade” (Georgia Neocleous, Kyperounda).
Foods
Types of oil produced in the 18th century.
Report of Archim. Kyprianos (1788) in his book "Ιστορία Χρονολογική της Νήσου Κύπρου" (History Chronological of the Island of Cyprus) on the types of oil produced in the 18th century.