(PUFF) PASTRIES & SWEETS

BOUGATSA
Μπουγάτσα

Bougatsa also known as Mpougatsa is a Greek breakfast pastry (sweet or savory) consisting of semolina, custard, cheese or minced meat filling between layers of filo pastry.

In the larger bakeries, 3 types are usually sold, but it should be noted that the bougatsa semolina (with semolina) is sold out very quickly.

• Bougatsa crema  Κρέμα μπουγάτσας (Krema Bougatsas)

• Bougatsa semolina  Σιμιγδάλι μπουγάτσας (Simigdali Bougatsas)

• Bougatsa spinach    Μπουγάτσα σπανάκι (Bougatsa Spanaki)

BOUREKIA
Μπουρέκια

Bourekia is a traditional Cypriot pastry usually made with thin and flaky filo pastry and filled with cheese.

The sweet version usually uses a combination of fresh, unsalted anaricheese, cinnamon and sugar to fill the phyllo pockets. Rose water or citrus blossom water (usually orange blossom water) is often used to enhance the flavor of the filling.

Savory bourekia, on the other hand, can contain a variety of ingredients, including minced meat, cheese (such as halloumi, graviera, or feta), spinach, or mushrooms.

DAKTYLA (Lady Fingers)
Δάκτυλα

This sweet pastry, soaked in syrup, has an interesting name because it literally means 'fingers'. Filled with ground almonds and cinnamon, the dough is then rolled into thin elongated bites. The sugary syrup, with hints of lemon juice and citrus blossom water, coats the ladyfingers and gives it a gooey, sweet taste.

ELIOPITA
Ελιοπίττα

Eliopita is an olive-filled pastry with finely chopped onions. There are different shapes, such as a half moon, a bun or a round cake. Find them in bite-sized sizes or in larger individual pieces.

FLAOUNES
φλαούνες

Flaounes, a traditional Easter cake, are filled with cheese and raisins, prepared by many bakeries and in many households during Holy Week.

GLYSTARKES

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

HALLOUMOPITA
Χαλλουμόπιτα

Made with Cyprus' national cheese, halloumi, this pastry uses flour, mint and eggs. Halloumoti comes in different shapes and sizes, including a round bread-like or a block-shaped pastry topped with sesame seeds.

HALVA
Χαλβάς

Halva is an oriental specialty, originally it is an Arab product. Halva means sweet in Arabic. It is prepared with sesame seeds, sugar, honey and vegetable oil, although recipes vary by region. 

HELLIMLI
Ελλίμλη

Hellimli is a Cypriot bread consisting of flour, water, salt, butter, and olive oil. It is enriched by the addition of chopped onions, mint, and diced halloumi cheese. The dough is traditionally baked in clay ovens until the exterior of the bread develops a golden color.

KIOFTERI
κιοφτέρη

Kiofteri is Palouzes that is left to dry in the shade, its cut into rectangular shaped pieces and has a longer life. Kiofterka are a favorite energy food, often consumed along with zivania, a perfect warm-up during the winter season

KOLOKOTES
Κολοκότες

Neither sweet nor savory, these pastries can be eaten for breakfast or an afternoon snack. In addition to diced pumpkins, kolokotes contain rice, raisins, almonds and cinnamon and are ideal during the Christmas or Easter fasting period, as they are vegan (unless an egg layer is used for a golden look).

KOULOURAKIA

Κουλουράκια

Koulourakia are small buttery pastries. They are hand formed into a variety of shapes from circles, figure eights, twisted whorls, circles and more. These Cypriot desserts are not overly sweet and have a crunchy but quite soft texture. They go very well with a cup of tea or coffee

KOULOURI
Κουλούρη

The word 'Koulouri' comes from the ancient Greek word 'kollikion', which means a round loaf of bread made with coarsely ground wheat 

This tasty snack has slowly evolved and now comes in a variety of flavors including multi-seed, tahini, whole grain and you can also find it filled with feta cheese, meat, tomatoes and olives or combinations of these.

KOURABIDES

The Greek version called "kourabiedes", resembles a light shortbread, typically made with almonds. Kourabiedes are sometimes made with brandy, usually Metaxa, for flavouring, though vanilla, mastika or rose water.  Christmas kourabiedes are adorned with a single whole spice clove embedded in each biscuit. Kourabiedes are popular for special occasions, such as Christmas or baptisms.

In Cyprus, they are often given as gifts to wedding attendees after the ceremony.

LOUKANIKOPITA
Λουκανικόπιτα

This pastry, a sausage roll, is ideal for people who are hungry for some meat during their patisserie hunt. Some bakeries fill them with cheese and sprinkle sesame seeds on top, though the traditional recipe calls for a simpler flavor.

LOUKOUMADES
Λουκουμάδες

Loukoumades are baked all year round.

Loukoumades are small, bite-sized sweet dumplings that are deep-fried until golden brown. Greek loukoumades are traditionally served soaked in hot honey syrup.

LOUKOUMI
Λουκούμη

Turkish delight (Turkish: lokum, Greek: Λουκούμι – loukoumi), also known by its English name Turkish delight, is a sweet delicacy commonly eaten in Turkey, Cyprus and the Balkan countries. This candy consists of small cube-shaped blocks in different colors and flavors made from a jelly of sugar and starch. Turkish delight is also eaten as a dessert.

MELOMAKARONA

Christmas honey cookies

PASTELAKI / PASTELI
παστελάκι

Pasteli is a traditional Cypriot sesame seed candy usually made from carob fruit syrup, which tastes and looks almost exactly like caramel. Chilled syrup is cut into small and thin bars. Sometimes ground peanuts or sesame seeds are added.

PASTAFROLA (pasta frolla

Sweet tart, it is a covered, jam-filled shortcrust pastry dish.

PASTOURMADOPITAKIA
Παστούρ μαδοπιτάκια

Puff pastries with Pastrami, tomatoes, yogurt with spearmint flavor and oregano.

PISIES
Πισίες

Pisies are considered to be the Cypriot version of pancakes. The dough for the pies is sprinkled with cinnamon and ground almonds which is then wrapped up into a long roll. Small pieces of the roll are then made flat forming round pies. Another version of the common Pisies is the Rizokarapso Pisies.

SHIAMISHI

Σιαμίσι

Usually found at fairs and as name-day treats, shiamishi is another phyllo pastry with aromatic semolina cream and orange blossom water that is deep-fried until golden brown. Powdered sugar finishes it off for an increasingly sweet taste

SOUJOUKOS
Σουτζούκος

They are long rolls in brown, green or black colors. It is a traditional grape product made shortly after harvest. 

The so-called «sweet sujuk» is one of the most popular sweets in Cyprus. It is made from grape must with honey, almonds or walnuts and tastes (and looks) like Georgian «churchkhela». Cypriots often serve sujuk with tea or coffee: these sweets are not too sweet and can be a perfect snack for those who still want to be hungry.

SPANAKOPITA
Σπανοκόπιτα

This hearty pie, popular among vegetarians, consists of spinach, feta cheese, egg and onion, wrapped in crispy layers of filo pastry. It's perfect for a light lunch with a refreshing drink.

TAHINOPITA
Tαχινόπιτα

Aside from the popular tahini dipping sauce, tahini is the main ingredient for tahinopita, a sweet pie made with flour, sugar, cinnamon and yeast. Because the recipe is egg, oil and dairy free, it is a popular snack during Easter Lent and is considered vegan. 

TIROPITA
Τυρόπιτα

Tiropita's cheese filling, a popular pastry in Cyprus, has different recipes and consistencies. Cypriot cheesecakes use halloumi cheese, while Greek cheesecakes are made from feta cheese.

TSOUREKI
ΤΣΟΥΡΕΠΗ

Tsoureki  is a sweet Easter bread made with flour, milk, butter, eggs and sugar and usually seasoned with orange peel, mastic or mahlab.  Lampropsomo, a variant of tsoureki commonly referred to as "Greek Easter bread", is made by Greek communities during Easter, not only in Greece, but also in other countries with Greek communities.  It is also sometimes called Armenian Easter bread.

VASILOPITA

Vasilopita (orange brandy cake) is a New Year's Day bread, cake or pie in Greece which contains a hidden coin or trinket which gives good luck to the receiver, like the Western European King Cake. It is associated with Saint Basil's day, January 1, in most of Greece, but in some regions, the traditions surrounding a cake or pita with a hidden coin are attached to Epiphany or to Christmas.