Koupepia

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

25 vine leaves

½ cup olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

250g minced lean pork

3 red tomatoes, grated

⅓ cup tomato juice

⅓ cup short grain white rice

¼ cup lemon juice

Half bunch parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp dry or fresh chopped mint

¼ cup olive oil

Salt & pepper to season

 

Preparation:

Sauté the onions in the oil. Add the mince and stir until cooked.

Add the grated tomatoes and tomato juice, and bring to the boil.

Add the washed rice, salt, pepper, mint, parsley and lemon juice and parboil.

Blanch the vine leaves in boiling water for a few seconds only, and drain.

Stuff the vine leaves by placing the leaf upside-down on a clean surface. Take some of the meat mixture, place it on the vine leaf near to the stem end and fold the stem end over the mixture, then fold in the sides of the leaf and roll up to make a neat package. Be careful not to overfill, as the rice will expand when fully cooked.

Pack the koupepia into a saucepan, add some additional grated tomato on top, plus the ¼ cup of olive oil and a little water to just cover.

Place an inverted plate on top to prevent the koupepia from unravelling.

Cover the pan and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.

Leave to cool a little before serving.

Note: With this filling you can also prepare stuffed cabbage leaves or other vegetables (Gemista).

Kolokasi (Taro Root)

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

1 kg kolokasi (taro) root

½ kg pork (lean belly pork or shoulder) cut into large cubes

6 tbsp olive oil

1 head of fresh celery, diced

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

4 firm red tomatoes, diced

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 small stick cinnamon

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt & pepper to season

½ cup dry red wine

Water or stock

 

Preparation:

Peel but do not wash the kolokasi. Kolokasi should never be sliced or diced as it will not become soft during cooking. Instead, prepare it by inserting a firm knife into the root, then twisting it to break off bite-sized pieces.

Sauté the kolokasi in a little olive oil until lightly browned.

Transfer to a deep saucepan and add the meat together with all the remaining ingredients except the parsley and lemon juice.

Cover with water or stock.

Simmer gently until the meat is fully cooked, then add the lemon juice and parsley.

Tip: Never add lemon juice during cooking, as the kolokasi will become hard.

Kolokasi can be also cooked with chicken instead of pork, or even without meat for a vegetarian dish.

Octopus with Oregano

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

1 kg octopus

½ tsp dry oregano

Pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice

 

Preparation:

Clean the octopus thoroughly under cold running water.

Place the octopus in a pot with hot olive oil (1 spoon), cover and cook.

Simmer to bring out all the juices and continue cooking until the liquid is reduced and the octopus is tender. Add some water if needed.

Remove from the heat and drain.

Serve hot or cold, seasoned with oregano and olive oil/vinegar dressing or oil oil/lemon juice dressing.

 

Note: You can also cook the octopus on the grill. If the octopus is thick, cut it into small pieces before serving.

Trachanas Soup (Cracked Wheat)

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

1 cup Trachana (cracked wheat in soured milk)

8 cups water or stock

Halloumi cheese

Salt (optional, as Trachanas is usually already salted)

Freshly ground black pepper

 

Preparation:

Soak the Trachana for a few hours with some of the water.

When soft, place in a pot, adding the rest of the water or stock.

Bring to the boil, stirring all the time until cooked.

Cut the Halloumi into small pieces and add to the soup.

Add pepper and salt if needed.

Watermelon

A Cypriot summer is not complete without watermelons – and in Cyprus they tend to grow rather large!

The red soil villages of the Ammochostos (Famagusta) region are the main watermelon growers and you will often see trucks of watermelons parked up in the streets, with local growers selling their juicy crop.

Whilst it may seem an unusual pairing, watermelon is commonly eaten with Halloumi cheese as a traditional summer breakfast or light supper.

Olive Oil & Olives

Known as ‘liquid gold’, olive oil is an integral part of the Mediterranean diet, enjoyed as a healthy dressing for salads, or as a versatile cooking oil. The olives themselves can also be eaten as part of a meze, or as a traditional breakfast with village bread and Halloumi cheese.

At the end of the season, the black (mature) olives are pressed for oil, whilst the early green olives are preserved in a popular delicacy called ‘tsakkistes’, which means ‘crushed’. Once they are picked, the green olives are washed, cracked using a stone and soaked in brine. They are served with coriander seeds, garlic, olive oil and lemon.

Black table olives are preserved in salt and are stored in large jars to be eaten throughout the year.

Grapes

Grapes have been cultivated without interruption in Cyprus for centuries, as the island was the only place not to succumb to the dreaded Phylloxera beetle disease that was killing vines throughout Europe in the 1800s.

The two most common indigenous varieties grown are Mavro (red) and Xynisteri (white), whilst the ancient variety of Maratheftiko (red) is also grown to a lesser extent. In recent years many new varieties of grapes have been introduced, which have greatly enhanced the island’s wines.

Along with wine, grapes are used to make a variety of desserts and sweets such as Palouze (a grape pudding), and Soutzoukos (almonds dipped in sweet grape jelly).

Flaouna

The savoury cheese pie, Flaouna, is one of the main treats of Greek Orthodox Easter, and is traditionally made on Holy Thursday (preceding Good Friday).

Containing eggs, cheese, raisins and mint, Flaounes make use of products that are not permitted during the fasting period before Easter, and are prepared for consuming after the fast is broken. A specially made cheese that rises and does not melt easily is produced on the island specifically for making Flaounes. These delicious pies were traditionally baked in a clay oven after the women of the family had gathered together to make them.

As they freeze well, they are now often batch-made in the run-up to Easter and eaten throughout the year. Nowadays you can also find them all-year-round in local bakeries, although more so during the Easter period.

Paskia is a variation of flaouna, in which the filling is replaced with cubes of lamb, vegetables and cheese, as well as herbs and spices.

Kourampiedes

Kourampiedes are tiny shortbread biscuits that look like little snow-mounds thanks to their generous dusting of icing sugar. They can be made with or without nuts, and traditionally use roasted almonds and pistachios, as well as dried dates.

Whilst they are usually made at Christmas, they are also offered in a different version as wedding favours called ‘Loukoumi’, because their white colour symbolises purity.

Whether you are enjoying them at Christmas (available in boxes from the bakeries) or as a wedding favour, they are equally delicious and crumbly!

Tahinopita

A Tahinopita is a sweet pastry that is made of tahini paste (roasted sesame seed puree), with local carob syrup. Although enjoyed all year round, they are particularly popular during Lent.

You can find them at any local bakery, and despite being sweet, they have a very unusual taste. They often include mastic and cinnamon, however, commercial versions may use sugar instead of the healthier carob syrup.