Mint Cinnamon & Blossom Water Flavours of Cyprus Kopiaste!

Ellinikos Kaffés, which means Greek coffee, is one of the healthiest in the world. Recent studies have shown that a cup of Greek coffee a day is very good for your healthy and for longevity!

Ryzogalo also written rizogalo (pronounced ree-ZOH-gah-loh) is the Greek version of rice pudding.
This dessert is a favourite with my family, not only as a dessert, but as a special treat.

Cypriot Traditional Tahinopita is a Lenten or vegan sweet bread, which is very flavourful as it is filled with tahini, sugar and cinnamon.

Fassolada (or fassoulada, as the peasants call it), is  a hearty navy beans stew, or soup if you like  and is considered to be the national food of the Greeks.

Hoummous soup is made with the same ingredients as for hoummous dip. More hot broth is added until it reaches the consistency of a soup and is served with croutons. The cooked chickpeas can be freezed, so when making this soup, I usually boil more in order to make the dip whenever I like.

Makaronia tou Fournou means pasta baked in the oven and is a common dish in Cyprus, often served as a main course, with a salad but in Cyprus it is an essential dish during all celebrations.

Ravioles is a Cypriot specialty, similar to ravioli, probably having its roots from the Venetian times.  In Cyprus this pasta dish is filled with aged halloumi, eggs and mint and they are cooked in chicken broth.

Shiamishi, are one of the best panigyria treats in Cyprus.  These are made with homemade phyllo filled with an aromatic sweet semolina cream, which is flavoured with anthonero (orange blossom water) and mastic and then deep fried.   

Bourekia is  a pastry made with a thin flaky  phyllo, and are filled with anari which is the Cypriot name of the cheese, which is similar to anthotyros or ricotta.   Anari is a white soft whey cheese which is produced when making halloumi or kefalotyri.    It has a delicate, creamy flavour, slightly sweet, …

Kattimerka, is a traditional pastry dessert, similar to pischies but instead of being fried, these are cooked in a traditional frying pan called sadji. Sadji resembles like the Arab Saj, however, unlike the Arab saj, which is dome shaped, the Cypriot sadji resembles more like a wok. You can use a wok or any non-stick sautéing pan.