Name - Origin
Most sweets, which Cypriots used to call "glytzistika", and which, to this day, are considered to be traditional, have their origins in antiquity and Byzantium, as their name often reveals: lalánghia, lalangoúthkia, langópittes of Karpasia, xerotíana, kaïganás, which we also find in Caesarea of Cappadocia, pastelli, which we find in Byzantine texts and in documents of the Venetian occupation, sesamotés, kioftérka.
The Byzantines used the call plakoundes, pemmata or melipikta those sweets made with dough and containing sweeteners. These names are all of ancient Greek origin. These sweets, although they had an archetypal form, were remarkable from a nutritional and gastronomic point of view and are still made today.
Functional and symbolic role
These sweets, the 'popasta', which contained one of the four sweeteners, can be roughly divided into two broad categories. The first category includes those containing wheat as a raw material in the form of flour or crushed wheat and sometimes oil. The second category includes those containing seeds, nuts or fruit, such as: sisamopittes, containing sesame seeds, pastelli, which was made exclusively from carob syrup and retshelia, which are considered by many to be the forerunner of the spoon sweets. After the end of the Byzantine period, when sugar became affordable and acceptable, Cypriots substituted honey with sugar and showed a remarkable dedication to spoon sweets in all the following centuries.
The sweets that were made for 'potherka' (after the end of harvest), or when the first oil would be produced, were rich and included 'ladopittes', 'pishies', 'xerotiana', 'sakopittes', 'kattimerka', 'langopittes'.
"In Lythragomi, on the day of the feast of St. Savvas, they used to make tertzellouthkia. They would even call the saint, tertzellan." in the village of Kampos tis Tsakistras, they used to make tertzellouthkia for the feasts of St. Varvara and St. Nicholas and they still make them until today.
Sweets were served in weddings, christenings and memorial services. From testimonies recorded by Kypri Protopapa we learn that on Monday and Tuesday following a wedding, they would offer glytzista, glytzistika, pishies or xerotiana.
Additional information and bibliography
Koukoules F (1952) Βυζαντινών Βίος και Πολιτισμός, Τόμος Ε., p. 119.
Rizopoulou-Igoumenidou, «Η παραδοσιακή μελισσοκομία στην Κύπρο και τα προϊόντα της (μέλι, κερί) κατά τους νεότερους χρόνους», Η μέλισσα και τα προϊόντα της, Cultural Technological foundation ΕΤΒΑ, p. 390.
Archim. Kyprianos (1788) Ιστορία χρονολογική της νήσου Κύπρου (reprint Nicosia 1974), p. 544.
Kypri Th. - Protopapa K. A. (2003), Παραδοσιακά ζυμώματα της Κύπρου. Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XVIII, Nicosia.
Florentia Kythraiotou
Κυπριακά Γλυκά (τηγανητές ζύμες περιχυμένες με φυσικές γλυκαντικές ουσίες)μικρά καττιμέρκα με μέλι και ξηρούς καρπούς
Traditional Recipes
Cookies with orange and honey (fasting)
Pure ingredients, like orange juice and zest, as well as honey, make these fasting cookies especially delicious.
Traditional Recipes
Fillota with syrup
Fillotá are envelope-shaped pastry sheets which have been brushed with oil and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. The recipe comes from Agios Georgios of Kyrenia.
Traditional Recipes
Gerouthkia
The small pieces of fried dough are served with carob syrup. The recipe comes from the occupied Varisia of the Morphou region (Nicosia district).
Traditional Recipes
Glytžista from Koilani
This dessert was previously served during engagements, but also during the Carnival. It is still made to this day.
Traditional Recipes
Homemade fiogákia (farfalle) with honey
An easy and inexpensive dessert, made by grandmothers for their grandchildren, even using leftover dough. Recipe from Trachoni Kythrea.
Traditional Recipes
Kaïkanás
A type of rich pancake, containing eggs that was often prepared in Cypriot households, since it was an easy and filling dessert. It was particularly common in the villages of Pitsilia.
Traditional Recipes
Kaïkanás with anari cheese
Kaïkanas is a type of rich pancake, containing eggs. In this recipe anari cheese is added. The recipe is prepared in Omodos in the mountainous district of Limassol and Potamia in the district of…
Traditional Recipes
Kateïfi
A syrupy sweet made with shredded filo pastry dough, almonds and cinnamon. A popular dessert of Middle Eastern origin, incorporated into Cypriot cuisine since many years.
Traditional Recipes
Lalagouthkia from Marathasa
In Marathasa region, the lalagouthkia, along with ladopittes, xerotiana and others were prepared at the beginning or end of agricultural tasks, such as the gathering of olives, the pruning of vines…
Traditional Recipes
Lalagouthkia with anari
Traditionally, lalagouthkia were made without filling and served sprinkled with sugar or drizzled with honey or epsima. In this newer version, anari filling is added to lalagouthkia.
Traditional Recipes
Loukoumades
"Cut the loukoumades using a small spoon and drop them into the hot oil. Once they are golden brown, drain them in a colander and place them in the cold syrup.' (oral testimony of Georgia Neocleous,…
Traditional Recipes
Melokrema - Cream with honey
A simple dessert with pure ingredients of the Cypriot cuisine. The recipe comes from Pyrga in Larnaca and was made in the 1950s. At that time, due to poverty, many people could not have many…
Traditional Recipes
Pastellaki me fistiki
Traditional sweet made from pure and nutritious ingredients of the Cypriot cuisine. Pastellaki was one of the typical delicacies sold in the open-air markets during festivals.
Traditional Recipes
Pishíes from Deryneia
Pishíes was one of the main traditional sweets served on festive occasions. In the old days, they used to prepare pishíes mostly when they had pork fat available so they could fry them.
Traditional Recipes
Pishíes from Kakopetria
The dough is covered with almonds and cinnamon, rolled out and cut into pieces. After frying, the pishíes are dipped in honey syrup.
Traditional Recipes
Pishíes from Paralimni
These pishíes are made with potato in the dough mixture. They are crescent-shaped and contain sugar and cinnamon.
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
Pittouthkia - small pittas
These pitas are made with a fried batter containing flour and eggs, and are served with honey or sugar. The recipe is from Agros village in the mountainous district of Limassol. Pittouthkia were…
Traditional Recipes
Ppaklava-Baklava
A recipe for a well known sweet delicacy, typical of the Middle Eastern cuisine, which is also very popular in Cyprus.
Traditional Recipes
Shamishi - Šámiši
It was customary during the various festivals to prepare s̆amiši in the churchyard, a custom that continues to this day. Šamis̆i were also offered at weddings.
Traditional Recipes
Sisamopittes
The recipe comes from Marathasa. Sesamopites were one of the products sold by the people of Marathasa at festivals, along with porika, nuts, shoushoukko and pastellin.
Traditional Recipes
Spoon sweets - Apple
The recipe for apple spoon sweet from Kyperounda village calls for apples that are not too small, and if possible of the same size. Kyperounda is particularly famous for the production of spoon…
Traditional Recipes
Spoon sweets - Orange
Orange fruit, a favourite citrus fruit, can also be used whole to make spoon sweets. Suitable varieties are Merlin and Jaffa.
Traditional Recipes
Spoon sweets - Tomato
Tomatoes are so versatile! Consumed fresh or preserved, sundried or in a sauce, they are equally flavoursome as a spoon sweet!
Traditional Recipes
Tiganítes with honey and dried fruit
Pancakes get a local character in this recipe since the filling is made of pure Cypriot ingredients: dried figs, raisins, honey, carob syrup and almonds.
Traditional Recipes
Xerotíana
“When they are golden brown, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a platter. Either sprinkle with sugar or drizzle some honey or epsima. (Sotiroula Kyriakou, Kyperounda)
