Kourtoulloportos

A type of fasting soup.

Name - Origin

Cypriot name of food

Κουρτουλλόπορτος ή κουρτουλλοπορτός ή κουρτουλλοπορτού ή κουβαρούδκια ή τριφτάριν. Kourtoullóportos or kourtoulloportós or kourtoullopotroú or kouvaroúthkia or triftárin.

Greek name - description

It is a type of fasting food (soup), commonly called triftarin (Yangoullis 2009, entry κουρτουλλοπορτός - κουρτουλόπορτος,ο - κουρτουλλοπορτού,η, 234).

Xenophon P. Pharmakidis, in his Glossary, notes that it is a dish with balls of dough which are boiled as a soup (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry κουρτουλλόπορτος,ο, 394).

Language remarks

ETYM. < kourtoullin + portos (Yangoullis 2009, entry κουρτουλλοπορτός - κουρτουλόπορτος,ο - κουρτουλλοπορτού,η, 234; Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry κουρτουλλόπορτος,ο, 394), kourtoullin means ball that has the size of a grain (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry κουρτουλλόπορτος,ο, 394). < ancient κορδύλι (kordyli) [grain + pulp] (Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Κουρτουλόπορτος, 70).

The name 'kourtoullooportos' accurately reflects the type of preparation. The first compound is the ancient word κορδύλη (kordyli) which means a lump, and the second compound is the word πολτός (poltos) which is pulp (Kypri - Protopapa 2003, 268).

In some villages, this preparation was called kourdoulogroutas and in others, such as in Lefkoniko and in Assia, kouvarouthkia were called grouta. In villages of the Paphos district, such as in Inia, this type of pasta was called triftarin. In villages of the Limassol district, kouvarouthkia which were formed out of flour were called korkótz̆ia (Kypri - Protopapa, 269).

Processing method

After frying finely grated bread and finely chopped onion, they were boiled together into a soup (Kypri 1983 [2003²], entry κουρτουλλόπορτος,ο, 394). They used to make this in Karpasia: they used to fry onions and small balls of dough and boil them in water and chicken broth (Yangoullis 2009, entry κουρτουλλοπορτός - κουρτουλόπορτος,ο - κουρτουλλοπορτού,η, 234).

They would sprinkle the flour with a bit of water and boil the small balls that were formed. They would, then, fry pieces of bread and add them to it. In Rizokarpaso, they would also boil kourtoulloporton in milk instead of water, with fried pieces of bread added to it. In other villages, such as in Agia Marina Skyllouras, kouvarouthkia were different. People would knead together flour, bulgur wheat and fennel, shape them and boil them in water (Kypri - Protopapa 2003, 268-269).

Functional and symbolic role

Nutritional Value and Importance in the Diet of Cypriots

Kourtoulloportos was mainly served during periods of fasting. In the area of Rizokarpaso, during non-fasting periods, the mixture was boiled in goat's milk and served with halloumi (Samaras 1992, 84).

Festive Occasions

Kourtoulloportos was a simple preparation, and, therefore, not served at festive occasions.

Additional information and bibliography

Time period

19th - 20th c.

Bibliography

Yangoullis K. G. (2009), Θησαυρός Κυπριακής Διαλέκτου. Ερμηνευτικό, Ετυμολογικό, Φρασεολογικό και Ονοματολογικό Λεξικό της Μεσαιωνικής και Νεότερης Κυπριακής Διαλέκτου, Βιβλιοθήκη Κυπρίων Λαϊκών Ποιητών, Theopress Publications, Nicosia.

Kypri Th. D. (ed.) (1983 [2003²]), Υλικά διά την σύνταξιν ιστορικού λεξικού της κυπριακής διαλέκτου, Μέρος Β΄, Γλωσσάριον Ξενοφώντος Π. Φαρμακίδου, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, IX, Nicosia.

Kypri Th. D. - Protopapa K. A. (2003), Παραδοσιακά ζυμώματα της Κύπρου. Η χρήση και η σημασία τους στην εθιμική ζωή. Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, ΧVIII, Nicosia.

Petrou-Poeitou E. (2013), Από πού κρατάει η σκούφια τους. Λέξεις και ιστορίες από τον κόσμο της γεύσης, Epiphaniou Publications, Nicosia.

Samaras P. M. (1992), «Παραδοσιακές τροφές από ζυμάρι», Λαογραφική Κύπρος 22,42, 83-86.

Researcher/Recorder

Stalo Lazarou, Varvara Yagou, Demetra Demetriou, Argyro Xenophontos, Tonia Ioakim