To Make The Dough, Filling and Topping
1 cup olive oil
1 cup strained yogurt
1 egg
1 1/2 cup of sugar
35 ounces flour
4 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
juice of 1/2 orange
zest of 1 lemon
35 ounces of fresh soft Montena Taranto Ricotta
1 cup of sugar
1 eggs and 1 egg white
1 tsp. powdered cinnamon
2 eggs
1 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. powdered cinnamon
Directions
To prepare the dough for the kalitsounia, add into a large bowl the olive oil, sugar, yogurt and eggs; blend well with your hands, until ingredients are combined. Pour in the orange juice, the lemon zest and vanilla extract and blend again. Sieve the flour with the baking powder and add gradually to the mixture. Knead the dough with your hands, until it softens. Adjust your flour use as needed. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Leave the dough covered to rest for about 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling for the kalitsounia. Mash the cheese into a large bowl, add the sugar, the eggs and the cinnamon; blend well, combining ingredients. Place the dough on a floured surface; using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 0.3 cm. Using a 10cm cutter, cut out some circles. (If you find it difficult to roll out the whole dough, cut it in half) Add a tablespoon of the cheese mixture in the center of each dough circle and spread. Raise the rim of the dough up around the cheese and using your fingers, pinch the edges to pull the dough in around the cheese, leaving the center open.
Preheat the oven to 180-200C. Place the kalitsounia on a large baking tray, lined with parchment paper and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Into a bowl, whisk 1-2 eggs and 1 tbsp. of water and brush the pastries. Sprinkle with cinnamon powder and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with a drizzle of honey to make a sweet desert.
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