Cyprus
Lania lies in the Northern Wildland built at the foot of Mount Troodos on the main
Limassol to Troodos road
also called an Artist's Village
Cypriot
Halloumi Cheese made from Goat's or Sheep's Milk & is believed to be an Aphrodisiac
for the Handmade Cheese, the
ratio depends like 60:40 Goat's:Sheep's
Handmade baskets from the mountains
cheeses are flipped & pressed in the baskets
Whey mixture prepared with salt
Ruby straws scrapper ladle
scopped into cylindrical plastic mould
drained overnight & hung to dry for few weeks
young Haloumi placed on grease proof paper & put in the boiling Whey to cook for 90 minutes
inside the folded Cheese (like Pita Bread), Salt, dried Mint Leaves are stuffed
Traditional Cypriot Pizza Pie:
Combine Flour, Olive Oil, once mixed slowly Water to form smooth dough
dough left to stand
Haloumi cheese cut in cubes, Fresh Mint
kneaded with the dough until combined
spread across a large Pita tray & baked in Moderate oven till 45 Minutes till Brown & served with Tea or Coffee
Pan Fried Grilled Haloumi with Fig Syrup:
Dried Baby Figs Coriander Seeds Cloves Cinnamon Vanilla Slit Balsamic Vinegar Simmered together till a Thick Syrup
Fresh Watermelon Honey
In Cyprus, the Carob Syrup is known as Cyprus’s Black Gold & is widely exported
Carob Juice is traditionally
consumed during the Islamic month of Ramadan
It also is believed to
be an Aphrodisiac
Flower Infused Fresh Honey is believed to be great for Cough/Cold etc.
Mezze: Weed Pickled with Vinegar & Olive Oil
Fresh Strawberry Salad with
Halloumi Cheese:
In a bowl, drizzle the
sliced strawberries with a good splash of balsamic vinegar, the lemon
juice and some Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Season with salt and pepper. This
will draw out and flavour the lovely strawberry juices
Preheat a large
non-stick frying pan to medium hot and add a splash of olive oil
Press a
basil leaf on to each slice of Halloumi. Place the slices, leaf side
down, in the frying pan and fry for a minute
Turn over carefully and
fry for another minute until the Halloumi is light golden and crisp
Put the mint, the rest of the basil leaves and the Salad
Leaves into the bowl with the strawberries and toss together
Pile some
of the strawberry mixture in the middle of each plate and drape the
speck over the top
Finish with more Salad
Leaves
To serve, drizzle with Balsamic Vinegar and Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cypriot
Smoked Pork (
Lounza) prepared in a Traditional Way in an Deep Bottomed Clay Oven
Spinach and Feta Parcels:
Ingredients:
4 tbsp Olive Oil
1 kg Spinach, chopped,
stalks discarded
1 bunch of Spring
Onions, finely chopped
Salt, and freshly
ground pepper
2 tbsp Parsley, chopped
½ tsp Nutmeg, freshly
grated
100 g Feta Cheese,
chopped
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
350 g Filo Pastry,
thawed if frozen
50 g Butter, melted
Method:
1.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Add in the spring onion and
fry gently until softened but not browned, around 2-3 minutes.
3. Add in the spinach and fry, stirring, until the spinach begins to wilt.
4. Cover and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring now and then.
5. Set the spinach aside to cool slightly, then season with salt and freshly
ground pepper.
6. Mix in the parsley, nutmeg, feta cheese and eggs.
7. Cut the filo pastry sheets into 32 pieces, each 15cm square.
8. Brush four of the filo squares with a little melted butter. Stack the filo
squares on top of each other, forming a star shape.
9. Repeat the process, making 8 filo star shapes in all.
10. Take a generous tablespoon of the spinach mixture and place it in the
centre of the filo star. Fold the filo around the spinach mixture, forming a
cracker-like top to the filo parcel.
11. Repeat the process, filling the remaining filo stacks.
12. Place the filo parcels on a greased baking sheet and brush with melted
butter.
13. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold.
Semolina Cake:
Sugar
Secret ingredient Mastica Powder Edible Gum is good for health
Whole Pistachios
Water
Whisk the Dough
Layer on Baking Tray
Brush with Sugar Syrup
Cut in Squares
Bake again in Oven for 10-15 Minutes
On the Hot Cake, Pour the Cold Sugar Syrup
Semolina Almond Cake:
Rose Water/Orange Blossom Water/Mastichi
Cookies:
Chocolate Orange Cake:
Wash Orange, Cut in Quarters with Skin, Put in Food Processor for Coarsely Chopped, Keep Aside
In the Processor, Add Eggs 2, 1/2 a Glass Sugar, Keo Cypriot Brandy (Optional) Olive Oil 1/2 Glass
Mix all, to this Mix Add 1 Glass each of Wholemeal Flour & Village Unbleached White Flou, 1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder 5 Tbsp Drinking Chocolate & Mix all together
Pour out in a Bowl
Add Walnuts in the Cake Batter & Mix Well
Pour in a Cake Tin 180 Degrees C for about an Hour
last 10 Minutes need to be observed
Spear the Cake to check
Pour the Cold Syrup (1/2 Glass Sugar 1 Glass Water Boiled to make the Sugar Syrup) on the Hot Cake
For Moorish Glaze:
Butter, Condensed Milk, Cocoa Powder & Drinking Chocolate
3/4 Pack of Butter Melted take off the heat
Add 5 Pouring Tbsp of Condensed Milk & Whisk
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder & 5 Tbsp of Drinking Chocolate
Mix Well for a thick consistency
Garnish with Orange Slices & Walnuts!!
Sesame Seed & Anari Parcels:
Anari (Anthotyro or Myzithra) is made from the
by-product of Halloumi Cheese and contains Sheep/Goat’s Milk with a
Creamy, Soft texture
a local white Unsalted Haloumi Cheese similar to Ricotta Cheese
Honey, Toasted/Non Toasted Sesame Seeds
Filo Pastry brushed with Extra Light Olive Oil
Bake for 20-25 Minutes at 180 Degrees C
Famous People
George Calombaris The Press Club Restaurant in Australia
Add the Spice Mixture in the Stir Fried Vegetables & let it simmer
Saute Paneer in a Non Stick Pan till a Golden Brown crust forms all over (there is no need to add Oil as Paneer tends to leave some Water & works well on a Non Stick Pan)- Optional
Add the Paneer to the Vegetable-Spice Mixture & let it mix well 
