The thin, traditional pasta ‘Makaronia tis Smilas’ and ‘Macaroni tou Sklinitziou’ have been adopted by the EU Commission as a protected geographical indication (PGI) from Cyprus.

‘Makaronia tis Smilas’ (which means ‘skewered pasta’) or ‘Macaroni tou Sklinitziou’ (due to the hole that remains in the middle, after rolling the pasta dough around a thin skewer) is a handmade dried pasta that is made in Agios Theodoros village in rural Larnaka.

It is made by mixing water with a little salt and durum wheat flour or other types of flour with semolina, salt and water. The pasta is then placed in drying baskets traditionally called ‘paneria’, so that the pieces do not touch.

The pasta is often consumed during festive or special events and in bygone times was traditionally prepared as one of the dishes eaten as part of the Cypriot wedding week - on a Sunday, on the day of the wedding itself, or on the Tuesday after.

The pasta is usually boiled in chicken broth and served with grated Cyprus cheese - either Halloumi or Anari.