Soutzoukos

Ingredients

Almonds

• 400 gwhole blanched almonds
• strong cotton thread
• a long needle

Palouzes

• 3 litresfresh grape must, from white or red grapes
• 150 gwood ash or asvestis, food-grade lime, for clearing
• 300 gplain flour, or 200 g cornflour
• 2 stickscinnamon
• a piece of mastic, optional
• rose geranium leaves, optional

Equipment

• a deep narrow pot
• a rod to hang the strings from
• a sheltered place to dry them

To serve

• sliced, with coffee or zivania

Directions

1. Use only food-grade material, and let the must settle completely afterwards. Mix the ash or lime into the must, leave it to settle for several hours, then carefully pour off the clear liquid.
2. Pour it off carefully, leaving all the sediment behind, and strain it through cloth. Now boil the cleared must down. Simmer it until it has reduced by about a third, skimming as you go. Skim it thoroughly. Thread whole blanched almonds onto a long cotton thread with a needle, leaving a gap between each.
3. Leave a small gap between the almonds so the coating can surround each one, and leave a loop at the top for hanging. Make the strings about 40 cm long. Now make the palouzes, the thickened must. Whisk the slaked flour into the hot must and add the cinnamon and mastic.
4. Cook it, stirring constantly, until it thickens to a smooth custard-like consistency. Stir without stopping. It should coat a spoon thickly but still be liquid enough to dip into.
5. Hold a string by its loop and lower it slowly into the hot palouzes so the almonds are fully covered. Lift it out slowly, letting the excess run back, and hang it up to dry.
6. Dip and hang, and then wait. The layer must dry to the touch before the next dip, which takes hours, and a second dip onto a wet layer simply washes the first one off.
7. Hang the strings somewhere sheltered, airy and out of direct sun. Now repeat, dipping each string every few hours or once a day. Serve them sliced into rounds, with coffee or a glass of zivania.

Technique

• Cypriot soutzoukos holds EU protected geographical status.
• Walnut versions of the same sweet are made across Turkey, Georgia and Armenia under related names.
• It is strictly a harvest-season product and is made once a year.

Substitutions

• Walnuts in place of almonds, which is the Anatolian and Caucasian version.
• There is no substitute for fresh grape must.

Variations

• Made with walnuts, as churchkhela in Georgia.
• Palouzes, the thickened must set in bowls.
• Kiofterka, dried and cut into squares.

History

Strings of almonds dipped repeatedly into thickened grape must until coated, made at the autumn grape harvest.

Frequently asked questions

What is Soutzoukos?

Soutzoukos is a snack from Cyprus: almond strings repeatedly dipped in set grape must. Strings of almonds dipped repeatedly into thickened grape must until coated, made at the autumn grape harvest.

How long does Soutzoukos take to make?

Soutzoukos takes 1 hr plus several days drying of preparation and 1 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 6 strings. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Soutzoukos?

Yes, within limits. Walnuts in place of almonds, which is the Anatolian and Caucasian version. There is no substitute for fresh grape must.

What is the most important thing to get right in Soutzoukos?

Use only food-grade material, and let the must settle completely afterwards. Mix the ash or lime into the must, leave it to settle for several hours, then carefully pour off the clear liquid.