Toumatsia

Τουμάτσια με τρίμμα χαλλουμιού. Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015. <br/> Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.

Τουμάτσια με τρίμμα χαλλουμιού. Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015. Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.

Τουμάτσια με τρίμμα χαλλουμιού. Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2015. <br/> Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.

This type of pasta is distinguished into large square pieces which are called toumátsia or lasagna and into smaller squares called toumakkoúthkia or lasanoúthkia.

Name - Origin
Cypriot name of food
Τουμάτσια, τεμάτσια, τομάτσια, τουμακκούθκια, τουμαχούθκια, λαζάνια, φυλλούθκια, λαζανούθκια, τομάτσιν, κουταλάες. Toumátsia, temátsia, tomátsia, toumakkoúthkia, toumahoúthkia, lasagna, fylloúthkia, lasanoúthkia, tomátsin, koutaláes.
Greek name - description

Λαζάνια. Τετράγωνα κομμάτια φύλλου από απλή ζύμη. 

Lasagna. Square pieces of plain dough. 

Toutoumakia. Square, small boiled sheets of dough (PetrouPoeitou 2013, 151). 

A type of pasta that closely resembles today's hylopíttes (Kythraiotou 2013, 45).

Language remarks

The name toumátsia comes from the Turkish tumsek = small piece (Petrou-Poeitou 2013, 151). 

This type of pasta is distinguished into large square pieces which are called toumátsia or lasagna and into smaller squares called toumakkoúthkia or lasanoúthkia. Koutalaes were larger pieces of toumatsia (Kypri and Protopapa 2003, 266). 

Koutalaes were square thin sheets of dough, which were boiled and consumed with halloumi. They were slightly larger than toumatsia, their had about the size of a spoon (Petrou-Poeitou 2013, 70). 

In Marathasa, toumatsia were called azanvíthkia (Kythraiotou 2013, 45). 

Probably the name lasagna came from the Italian lasagna meaning ribbon-like dough.

Processing method

In order to form toumatsia, the dough sheet was cut while it was still wrapped in the saíta, from one end to the other. It was then cut vertically into small square pieces. They were boiled and consumed with grated cheese. During fasting, they were sautéed with fried pieces of bread, onions or garlic. In fasting periods, when oil would not be consumed, toumatsia were consumed with honey (Kypri and Protopapa 2003, 266-267). 

In Marathasa, in order to make toumatsia, they would roll out a thin sheet of pasta dough and roll it over the rolling pin and cut lengthwise into thin strips. Then, they were cut into vertical strips, forming small squares (2 x 2 cm) (Kythraiotou 2013, 45). 

In Peristeronopigi village, after folding the dough with enough flour to prevent it from sticking, they would cut it into very small squares and boiled them like pasta. During fasting periods, instead of grated "halloumi", toumatsia were consumed with fried bread and/or onions (Michalopoulou- Charalambous 1998, 333).

Nutritional Value and Importance in the Diet of Cypriots

Toumatsia and trin were consumed often. They were also consumed at breakfast or eaten by workers in the evening (Kypri and Protopapa 2003, 267).

Time period
19th -20th c
Bibliography

Kythraiotou F. (2013), Γαστρονομικός οδηγός Μαραθάσας, Ministry of Education and Culture - Pedagogical Institute, Nicosia. 

Kypri Th. - Protopapa K. A. (2003), Παραδοσιακά ζυμώματα της Κύπρου. Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XVIII, Nicosia. 

Michalopoulou- Charalambous H. (1998), Περιστερωνοπηγή. Από την αρχαιότητα μέχρι το 1974, Προσφυγικό σωματείο «Ένωση Περιστερωνοπηγιωτών», 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

Varvara Yangou, Demetra Demetriou, Tonia Ioakim, Petroula Hadjittofi, Eleni Christou