Here comes another Yiayia memory! Even though the woman had nine kids, worked like a dog every single day, and wasn’t a very good cook she repeatedly made two things that were both complicated and time consuming. One was a Greek pastry called Thiples or Xerotigina (same thing, two different names) which is strips of dough twisted into fancy shapes and deep fried and sprinkled with ground walnuts and cinnamon. And the other was Kalitsunia. The woman had a passion for them and made them all the time. I can’t think of a time I was at the farm without having them. Big platters would be loaded with them as they were pulled off the fire and passed around still warm to sprinkle sugar, or cinnamon sugar on…or plane depending on your preference.
Kalitsunia are a pastry made with olive oil that is filled with a ricotta mixture. They can be filled with anything and frequently are, Swiss Chard, ground beef, whatever needed to be used up. In my family they most often were filled with either the ricotta or the boiled greens filling. I think of them as being typically Cretan. I have seen versions of them throughout Greece, and versions with many different names, but Kalitsunia as described in this recipe seem to be uniquely Cretan.
They are best eaten warm and fresh. If you can’t eat them right away, don’t refrigerate them. A lot of the delicate freshness is lost once you refrigerate them. If you are not eating them the day you make them reheat them by placing them in a warm oven before you enjoy them. I like mine warm, sprinkled with sugar, but you can find your own favorite way to enjoy them. We eat them for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, as part of a dinner buffet, you name it.
You’ll Need:
Large Heavy Skillet
Oil for Frying (typically I use an olive oil blend for this since extra virgin olive oil should not be heated)
Dough
4 C flour
1 T salt
2/3 C olive oil
1 C (more or less) room temperature water
To make the dough place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine, create a well in the center and pour in the olive oil. Add most of the water and start to work the dough, keep working the dough until it’s smooth and soft, adding water if necessary. Once the dough is the right texture cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
Filling
15 oz. whole milk ricotta
4 oz. crumbled feta
1/3 C chopped fresh mint
Salt and pepper to taste
Zest of one lemon (optional)
In a medium bowl combine all the filling ingredients and mix well, set aside.
Cut a piece of dough and roll it thin into a long rectangle. Place a mound of filling on one edge of the dough and roll over so that it’s completely encased in dough, use a pastry wheel to cut around the mound of filling to create a half moon shape. Cut about ¼ inch away from the filling, if you cut too close to the filling it will open up while cooking. Use a fork to crimp the edges well. Place the Kalitsunia on a baking pan covered with paper towels. Continue to shape you Kalitsunia until you run out of filling or dough. Typically I get about 18 Kalitsunia out of this recipe.
Once you’re ready to fry place about ¾ inch of oil in the frying pan and heat until hot. I test it by placing the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil and if little bubbles cluster around the spoon handle the oil is ready. Carefully place the Kalitsunia in the hot oil, don’t crowd the pan and be very gentle in your handling of them. If you pierce them the ricotta will ooze out and splatter and burn in the oil which will make it difficult to cook the rest. Fry them until they are golden brown on each side and return to the paper towel lined sheet to drain.
Makes about 18.
