37 Α feast of flavour Lountza Pitsilias: Pork fillet is used. The procedure is similar to that which applies for Hiromeri, except that meat pressing is optional. Gastronomy: Hiromeri, lountza and posyrti Pitsillias may also be consumed as meze dishes to accompany alcoholic beverages. Also, lountza and posyrti Pitsillias may be served for breakfast but also as a snack, either fried or grilled. Loukaniko Pitsilias Loukaniko Pitsilias is smoked wine sausage, made in the communities of Pitsilia. It is registered as PGI since 10/2/2021. History: Sausages, together with other meat products, used to be one of the most important foodstuffs for rural families. The absence of refrigerators triggered the need to invent preservation methods, that would allow availability of meat throughout the year. Pitsilia region is an area of high altitude and cold climate and according to written sources it was well known for making sausages. Production method: The minced meat (with some fat) is marinated in red dry wine, salt and various herbs (dry coriander, cumin, black pepper). The mixture then is left for at least 3 days in wine and then fed into pork intestines that have been previously cleaned. Ties are made (“teratsia”) one after the other to form a chain (thread) of sausages. The sausages are then smoked by burning wood from trees or bushes for 2-5 days. Gastronomy: It may be consumed cooked in various ways such as fried or on charcoal. Pitsilia hazelnuts (Fountoukia Pitsilias) Pitsilia hazelnuts are edible nuts of mainly two varieties: “Ntopia” (Local) or “Makroula” (Corylus maxima) and “Peratika” (Corylus avellana). History: The hazelnuts of Pitsilia, known as “leftokarka”, are found in the Pitsilia region, especially on the north side of Troodos, from Madari to Papoutsa. During the summer, mainly in mid-August, the festivals of Hazelnuts and other fairs are organized in certain Pitsilia villages.
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