Kalitsounia Kritis: Sweet Cheese Pastries from Crete

Ingredients

• •1/2 cup olive oil
• •1/2 cup sugar
• •1/2 cup unflavored strained yogurt
• •2 eggs, beaten with a fork
• •1 teaspoon baking powder
• •2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• •1/4 cup brandy
• •1 2/3 pound fresh soft myzithra cheese, (or mascarpone or ricotta)
• •1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• •2 tablespoon sugar
• •1 egg yolk
• •1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• •2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• •1 egg, beaten (for glaze)
• •ground cinnamon (for baked pastries)
• •confectioner's sugar or honey (for fried pastries)

Steps

1. 1Prepare the dough
2. 2In a large bowl:
3. 3Whisk the dry ingredients together (sugar, baking powder, flour). Add the oil, mixing with a spoon or hands. Stir in the strained yogurt and eggs and mix with spoon until the dough begins to stiffen, adding the brandy to soften the dough as needed. Knead the dough in the bowl for approximately 10 minutes until smooth, and set aside to rest. Prepare the filling
4. 4In a separate bowl, mix the cheese, cinnamon, sugar, egg yolk, orange peel, and flour together until well blended.
5. 5To bake
6. 6Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
7. 7Make the pastry
8. 8On a floured surface with a rolling pin, roll a piece of dough out to a thickness of about 1/8th of an inch. Using a 3-4 inch cutter or saucer as a guide, cut out circles. (Alternatively, take a piece of dough the size of an unshelled walnut and roll it out to a circle about 3-4 inches across.)
9. 9Place a spoonful of the cheese mixture into the center of the circle and spread out close to the edges. Raise the rim of the dough up around the cheese and, with wet fingers, pinch the edges to pull the dough in around the cheese, leaving the center open so the cheese shows.
10. 10Repeat using all the dough and filling. Place the kalitsounia on the baking sheet and brush lightly with beaten egg to glaze. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 20 minutes until lightly browned (see photo). Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
11. 11Allow to cool on the baking sheet. Kalitsounia will keep well, covered, in the refrigerator.
12. 12To fry
13. 13Place a teaspoonful of cheese mix into the center of the circle, fold the circle over into a half-moon shape. With wet fingers, crimp the edges to close securely. Preheat 1 cup of olive oil over medium heat and fry until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or drizzle with honey.