Glystarkes (Cypriot crusty, sesame rusks)

Glystarkes or glistarkes or gyristarkes, from the Greek verb γυρίζω = turn, is a kind of Cypriot grid-like crusty, sesame rusk.  

The bread sticks are dipped into sesame seeds and then they are shaped beginning with a cross (as it had a religious meaning as well) and then other bread sticks are added round the cross and baked. 

They were used during old traditions in villages, where the bride's family would invite guests to the wedding and hand a glistarka as an invitation or as part of the decoration of pumpkin or dried gourds (krasokoloka) which were used as wine containers during wedding ceremonies. 

These gourds were hand crafted and elaborately decorated for special occasions.

The traditional glystarkes were made with only bread flour and fresh yeast, white sesame seeds and had a flavour of cinnamon, cloves, mastic and anise. 

The first time I made them with the traditional ingredients and were shaped the traditional way. 

How to shape Glystarkes

Shape the dough into a long piece of dough about 5 cm thick and then cut about 30 even pieces. 

Roll each piece into a thin stick (the thinner the better) about 15 cm long.  Quickly bathe it in water and then into the sesame seeds or spice mixture. 

Put the sticks together to form an X and then put two more sticks to form into rays.

Prepare two more sticks, one small and a larger one.

Lift the sticks and place the smaller one, forming a small circle. Then add the bigger one around the edges.

Place on parchment paper and bake until golden.

They were quite close to the taste I remembered.

Different Glystarkes

This is a twist of my own to the original recipe.  

In order to make them much healthier, I added whole wheat flour, demerera sugar and salt substitute, for mine.

I liked them but the rest of the family wanted them more salty, so I added some coarse sea salt in the spice mixture for theirs.

Since then, I have made them many times, either as mini glystarkes or shaped like grissini in order to know which flavour was in each kind.

I've also made a lot of  combinations of spices mixed in the sesame seeds and they are so addictive you can't just eat one of these crunchy bites.

Combination of spices:

• ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 tablespoon black or brown mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon various peppers, black, green, pink and white
• 2 tablespoon poppy seeds

The recipe is included in my cookbook Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste!

In some of them I also mixed in some grated halloumi.

I am sending these to Yasmeen, of Health Nut, for her event Guilt Free Snacks.

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!