“We used to toast katsoura on the charcoal, dip it in olive oil and season it with salt” (Lazarou 2004, 29).
Name - Origin
Toasted bread, fried or dipped in olive oil. Bread, fried in fat or olive oil and sprinkled with sugar (PetrouPoeitou 2013, entry Κατσούρα, 55).
ETYM. < verb katsourizo (to make something crispy) (Yangoullis 2009, entry κατσούρα,η, 196) This particular delicacy was named after the way it sounds after it is prepared (Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Katsoura, 55; Kypri 1979 [2002²], entry κατσoύρα and καπύρα,η, 209).
It is also called kapyra (Yangoullis 2009, entry κατσούρα,η, 196; Kypri 1989, entry κατσούρα,η, 83; Kypri 1979 [2002²], entry κατσούρα and καπύρα,η, 209).
The word also means a sheep with curly - freezy hair (Yangoullis 2009, entry κατσoύρα,η, 196), but also the toasted wheat straw (Yangoullis 2009, entry κατσoύρα,η, 196; Kypri 1979 [2002²], entry κατσούρα and καπύρα,η, 209).
In Kampos tis Tsakistras and Pedoulas (mountainous villages of Troodos), bread was fried in olive oil. After frying, the bread was dipped in epsima (grape syrup). In the village of Politiko (which in the past was considered one of the olive-growing villages of Cyprus), they used to make katsoures in Autumn, when they had fresh olive oil. They would first toast some bread on the nistia (on the charcoal) and then dip the toasted bread in fresh olive oil (Oral testimonies: Eleni Georgiou and Anthoulla Aristodimou, Kampos tis Tsakistras - Nicosia, Xenophontas Lazarou, Politiko - Nicosia, Maroula Economidou, Pedoulas - Nicosia)
Additional information and bibliography
Yangoullis K. G. (2009), Θησαυρός Κυπριακής Διαλέκτου. Ερμηνευτικό, Ετυμολογικό, Φρασεολογικό και Ονοματολογικό Λεξικό της Μεσαιωνικής και Νεότερης Κυπριακής Διαλέκτου, Βιβλιοθήκη Κυπρίων Λαϊκών Ποιητών, 70, Theopress Publications, Nicosia.
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1979 [2002²]), Υλικά διά την σύνταξιν ιστορικού λεξικού της κυπριακής διαλέκτου, Μέρος Α΄, Γλωσσάριον Γεωργίου Λουκά, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XLI, Nicosia.
Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1989), Υλικά διά την σύνταξιν ιστορικού λεξικού της κυπριακής διαλέκτου, Μέρος Γ΄, Γλωσσάριον Ιωάννου Ερωτοκρίτου, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XIV, Nicosia.
Lazarou X. (2004), Της Κύπρου τα τσιαττίσματα τζιαι του χωρκού μαντάτα, Epiphaniou Publications, Nicosia.
Petrou-Poeitou E. (2013), Από πού κρατάει η σκούφια τους. Λέξεις και ιστορίες από τον κόσμο της γεύσης, Epiphaniou Publications, Nicosia.
Oral testimonies: Eleni Georgiou, 85 years old, Kampos tis Tsakkistras - Nicosia Anthoulla Aristodimou, 72 years old, Kampos tis Tsakkistras - Nicosia
Xenophontas Lazarou, 73 years old, Politiko - Nicosia Maroula Economidou, 86 years old, Pedoulas - Nicosia Recorded by Stalo Lazarou, October 2010.
Stalo Lazarou, Argyro Xenophontos, Tonia Ioakim
Traditional Recipes
Katsoures
Slices of bread fried in olive oil and usually spread with sugar or honey, and cinnamon. They used to constitute one of the meals of the day, accompanied by olives and halloumi.
Traditional Recipes
Katsoures with epsima (grape syrup)
Slices of bread fried in olive oil and drizzled with epsima (grape syrup).
Traditional Recipes
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Traditional Recipes
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A unique mezé of melted pork fat on freshly baked bread. Recipe from Marathasa valley.