Paphos cheese is produced during Easter in Paphos district. It is made of sheep or goat milk or a mixture of the two, and has a hard and yellowish outer texture with the characteristic imprints of the “talari” (the container in which it is cooked).
History: “Excellent cheeses of the villages of Paphos” (Archimandrite Kyprianos, 1788). From ancient times until today, Paphos cheese is produced from February to April when there is an abundance of milk. Also, it is strongly linked to the production of Easter Flaouna (see number 5).
Production method: The milk is heated, rennet is added and after coagulation, the curd is cut and stirred for 5-10 minutes. Subsequently, the curd is gradually reheated while stirring for 30-45 min, transferred to “talaria” made of “sklinitzi” (an intertwined container made from bushes found in marshes) and pressed manually until the talaria are filled. When strained, the talaria are placed in the hot whey for 30 minutes in order for the cheese to cook. The talaria are removed from the whey, the cheese is turned 1-2 times and salted. Finally, the cheese is left to dry for 4-5 days.
Gastronomy: Consumed with bread, but mainly used for the making of Flaouna (therefore, sometimes called Flaouna cheese).
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment