Easter Pourgouri (couscous) with Goat

Easter Pourgouri (couscous)with goat is an old Christian custom that took place at symposiums in villages of the Cypriot countryside. The ingredients that are needed for this dish include olive oil, vermicelli, cuscus, salt and goat meat. Heat the olive oil and place the vermicelli until it becomes brown. Then place it into a clay pot along with the cuscus, water salt and stir. The goat meat is then placed on chisels which are then placed on top of the clay pot so that the couscous receives some taste from the meat, and it then covered with aluminium foil. It is then cooked in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for two hours.

This custom has now been abandoned. In particular the village of Agios Dimitrios in Marathasa revived this custom on Easter Sunday. After going to church and forgiving everyone, they all gathered in the church yard and sat at a table together where they ate drank and celebrated until late. Every family would also take koulouria, flaounes, halloumi and red eggs. The priest would bless them before they ate all together.