This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

’Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia'

EU No: PGI-CY-02762 — 5.3.2021

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

’Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia'

2.   Member State or Third Country

Cyprus

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 2.5. Pasta

3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

‘Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia’ are a type of pasta made by mixing durum wheat flour with water and/or another type of flour such as country and/or wholemeal flour, with semolina, water and salt. The amounts used to make 1 kilogram (+/-10 %) of ‘Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia’ in their final form (i.e. dried) are as follows:

—	approximately 1 kilogram of durum wheat flour and/or another type of flour such as country and/or wholemeal flour with semolina, water and salt;

—	approximately ½ litre of water;

—	1 pinch (approximately ¼ tea spoon) of salt.

Physical characteristics

Shape: usually round or oval, with a hole in the middle

Diameter: 1 cm to 2 cm at the widest point (round or oval)

Thickness: 0,3 cm to 0,7 cm (at the thickest point)

Colour: off-white

Texture: slightly rough and hard

Chemical characteristics (dried product)

Moisture content: less than 12 %

Carbohydrates: 60-80 %

Salt: up to 1 %.

3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

—

3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

—	Mixing of the raw materials and preparation of the dough

—	Cutting of the dough and shaping of each piece

—	Drying (if applicable)

3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

Whether dried or fresh, 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' are packed in transparent packaging. The packaging allows the consumer to see the features that show that the product is hand-made, in particular its shape and texture.

The product must be packaged and labelled within the defined geographical area, in the interests of good traceability and to prevent it being damaged. Transporting the product outside the production area for packaging would increase the likelihood of damage, with an adverse effect on quality, as the product would run the risk of being crushed or shattered.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The packaging must bear the words ‘χειροποίητα ζυμαρικά’ [cheiropoíita zymariká], meaning ‘hand-made pasta’.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The defined geographical area is the whole of the Republic of Cyprus.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The grounds for applying to register the name 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' are the product’s specific characteristics, such as its shape, size and texture, which are a result of the producers’ know-how and expertise, and the reputation it has acquired over the years. In particular, the product’s name comes from its shape, which resembles a little ring, or ‘ tertziélli ’. The reputation of 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' is due not only to their characteristics, which bear testimony to the skill of their producers, but also to the simplicity of their ingredients and the way they are served, which have established them as a dish associated with fasting. An important stage in the production process is the resting of the dough, which also contributes to the product’s specificity. The resting time determines the dough’s elasticity, which in turn plays a key role in the production process, making it possible to create the shape of the 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' and resulting in their slightly rough texture.

Small pieces of dough are worked by hand to obtain a cylindrical shape like a little cord. The ends of each cord are artfully worked together to create the 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia'. The shape may vary depending on the area where the product is made. The 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' are shaped into rings to make drying easier and faster. Thanks to the producers’ experience and skill, the 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' pieces are all very nearly the same size, despite the fact that they are made individually by hand, and they have a distinctive slightly rough texture on the surface. The point at which the two ends of the dough are joined is also distinctive and clearly visible, and shows that the 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' are hand made. The two ends of the dough must be joined in the right way so that they do not come apart when the product is boiled and served.

The drying process also relies on the art and skill of the producers. The fresh 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' must be placed on drying mesh or in baskets in such a way that they do not touch one another. This allows for optimal and uniform drying. Each producer will know from experience when the product is ready. To determine whether the product is dry enough, the producer checks for (a) the absence of any stickiness on the surface and (b) the sound the pieces make when they are shaken and knock against one another.

Traditionally, 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' were served for fasts and feasts, as well as social events such as weddings. 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' are served in a particular way. Before serving, they are boiled in water and carob syrup, grape syrup or honey and, according to some sources, they could well have evolved from the ancient Greek dish called plytos artos, or ‘boiled bread’.

In addition to their longstanding tradition and reputation as a local Cypriot product and dish associated with fasting, 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' are gradually becoming more popular in the modern diet, and there is always a place from them on local markets selling Cypriot products. However, their reputation is also spreading beyond Cyprus, as a result of being presented on television cookery programmes abroad, such as the well-known Greek television programme POP Mageiriki [PDO Cookery], which promotes PDO and PGI products. The Cyprus Chefs/Gastronomists Association described the preparation of 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' in Gastronomika Nea [Gastronomy News] magazine in 2017, in the special column on ‘Tradition’. The product also features on cooking websites and apps such as cookpad, which not only explain how it is prepared, but also provide serving suggestions. Local festivals showcasing gastronomy and tradition (‘ Michani tou Gronou III ’ [Time Machine III] Festival – Municipality of Aglantzia and Aglantzia Youth Centre), include demonstrations of how 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' are prepared, and free samples are offered around. Publications concerning the 2019 Eastern Chalkidiki Gastronomy Festival reported that traditional Cypriot products, including tertziellouthkia served with carob syrup, were very popular. 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' have been awarded the ‘Taste Cyprus / Delightful Journeys’ label for Cypriot cuisine and are one of the products on display at the Festival of Tradition and Culture, which was established in 2004 and is held in a different rural Cypriot community every year. 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' have been described as a ‘distinctive hand-made traditional pasta’ during special events organised to celebrate Cypriot pasta such as ‘ Kyriakes stin Ypaithro ’ [Sundays in the country], which are promoted on electronic media such as Skala Times. 'Τερτζιελλούθκια / Tertziellouthkia' also feature prominently in printed and electronic media that record and promote traditional Cypriot gastronomy. These include Gastronomikos Chartis tis Kyprou [Culinary Map of Cyprus], Gastronomia en Kypro [Gastronomy in Cyprus], Paradosiaka zimomata tis Kyprou [Traditional dough products of Cyprus] (2003), and the Virtual Museum of Cyprus Gastronomy and Food.

Reference to publication of the specification

http://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/da/da.nsf/All/82B33F7D83ABF5A8C225879C00346BA5?OpenDocument

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(1)   OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.