Pasta (saltsa ntomatas) - Tomato paste (tomato sauce)
Tomato sauce used to be prepared at home.
Name - Origin
Σάλτσα ντομάτας.
They would press several very ripe tomatoes in a container, salt them and cover them. In two or three days, they would melt the tomatoes very well and strain them using a patouri (a sieve with very small holes). The juice was put into a cloth bag, hung up and, when all the juice had run out, what was left in the bag was clean tomato sauce. They would store it in a suitable container, adding salt to preserve it. (Theodorou M., 2009 p150).
Functional and symbolic role
It was handy as tomato sauce is used in many dishes of the Cypriot cuisine, such as gemistá (stuffed vine leaves and other vegetables), yahní (meat, potatoes and or vegetables cooked in tomato sauce), roasted dishes, and others.
Additional information and bibliography
Theodorou Melanie (2009), Σκυλλούρα : ταξίδι μνήμης και αγάπης, Nicosia
Eleni Christou
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