Description
The Kritiko Paximadi PGI is a toasted bread, available in four main varieties, according to the type of flour used: Paksimadi Xoriatiko (meaning "rustic country bread"), made with bread wheat flour; Paksimadi Kritharenio, also called kritharokoulouri, made with barley flour (krithari);Paksimadi Sitarenio, made with durum wheat flour (sitari); and Paksimadi Sikaleos, made with rye flour (sikalh).
Production Area
The production area of the Kritiko Paximadi PGI is on the island of Crete, in the administrative region of Crete, which includes the prefectures of Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion and Lasithi.
Production Method
All necessary components for the preparation of this product are placed in a wood or metal kneading machine, and water amounting to 50% of the flour quantity is added. The fermentation lasts as long as necessary to obtain homogeneous dough. The dough is then shaped as desired and placed in a special room, with a specific and constant humidity level, in order to have it leaven and acquire volume. This is the stadium in which gases build up evenly on the entire surface of the dough. It is successively placed in the pre-heated oven for baking, at 180°C for approximately 45 minutes. Up to this point, the procedure is very similar to the production of simple bread, but the preparation of the Kritiko Paximadi PGI requires further passages. Once it has cooled off, the dough is actually cut into slices of approximately 80-150 gr, which have a specific shape and a thickness of 2-4 cm, and these are placed on metal trays. In the final stage, the trays are placed in the oven once again, but at a lower temperature of approximately 100°C for about 60 minutes or more. In this way, the highest percentage of humidity is removed and the Kritiko Paximadi PGI acquires its typical dry structure. The trays with the Cretan toasted bread are left to cool off, and once room temperature is reached the bread is ready to be stored or packaged.
Appearance and Flavour
The Kritiko Paximadi PGI has the shape of how it was cut. The structure of the bread is not regular, but rather rustic, and the crumb is hard and porous. The durum wheat bread is characterised by an intense golden-yellow colour, while the barley version is light brown and the bread wheat version is dark brown. The particular scent of this product derives mainly from the typical fragrance of the cereals. The Kritiko Paximadi PGI has a delicate flavour and is easily digestible, and its weight varies between 100 g and 200 g.
History
The origins of the Kritiko Paximadi PGI date back to ancient times, in fact, already Hippocrates recommended its consumption. Dehydrated bread can be kept for long periods of time and can be consumed dry or wetted with water. For these reasons, it was the food of the poor, the army and those living away from home for long periods of time. The Byzantines were the ones giving it the name paximàdi, in honour of Pàxamos, the famous writer of the antique world, who was engaged in gastronomy and invented this particular bread.
Gastronomy
The Kritiko Paximadi PGI can be kept fresh, pretty much in any condition, for long periods of time. It can be enjoyed after having softened it with water short before consumption. In the areas of Heraklion, Rethymno and Chania, it is served as appetizer, sprinkled with a tiny bit of local olive oil, oregano, tomatoes and cheese.
Marketing
The product is sold as Kritiko Paximadi PGI.
Distinctive Features
Thanks to its easy preservation, the Kritiko Paximadi PGI has represented the food par excellence of farmers and breeders, who are forced to stay away from home for long periods of time.
