Posyrti Pitsilias - gastronomical map of Cyprus
Ποσυρτή Πιτσιλιάς. Πηγή: http://www.madaricyprus.com/pictureviewer.php?image=products/IMG_9854.JPG
Posyrti of the Pitsilia area is a cured meat product consumed either as fried or grilled and served mostly for breakfast, in sandwiches or as an appetiser.
Name - Origin
A dark-colored cured meat product from pork belly, matured in local red dry wine and then smoked using branches of native trees and bushes. It has an intense, characteristic smell of wine and smoke and a slightly salty taste.
Posyrtí is derived from the greek word αποσυρτός (aposyrtós) < αποσύρω (aposíro - withdraw) (Yangoullis, 2009).
For the preparation of posyrti Pitsilias, pork belly is salted and lest aside for 5-7 days. It is then marinated in red dry wine and dry coriander for 2-3 days. The meat is, then, smoked indoors daily using branches of native trees or bushes. The smoking temperature does not exceed 28 °C and the meat is not placed directly on fire. Finally, the meat is (optionally) placed in a shaded, ventilated area (curing room) to mature.
Functional and symbolic role
Posyrti Pitsilias is fried or grilled and served mostly for breakfast, in sandwiches or as an appetiser.
Every rural family, up until the mid-20th century, used to raise 1-2 pigs destined for the preparation of posyrti and other cured meat products (such as hiromeri and lountza) during Christmas, thus securing the availability of meat throughout the year.
Additional information and bibliography
Historically, posyrti and other cured meat products were produced in high altitude areas, as a cold climate favours meat preservation.
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.
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment (2010) Gastronomical Map of Cyprus, Press and Information Office, Nicosia.
Stalo Lazarou
Ποσυρτή. Πηγή: www.cyprustradecenter.gr/files/kek-allantika.pdf
Traditional Recipes
Hiromeri
A cured cold cut, hiromeri is placed in wine and then smoked. Both of the preparation stages take months in all to complete.
Traditional Recipes
Lountza
Cyprus lountza, a type of cured ham, is widely enjoyed as part of the traditional mezé and in sandwiches. Made from pork tenderloin matured in salt, red wine and dry coriander and then smoked daily…
Traditional Recipes
Posyrtí
In order to prepare the Cypriot version of bacon, the pork is placed in wine for 8-10 days and then smoked daily for 20 days.
Foods
Posyrti - a cured meat product
In the villages of Pitsilia and Marathasa, as well as in Tilliria and Paphos, the preparation of posyrti was customary and essential.
Foods
Preparation of traditional charcuterie
The main types of traditional Cypriot charcuterie are loukanika (sausages), lountza, hiromeri, zalatina, posyrti (bacon), tsamarella and apohti.
