Cretan lychnarakia (Kalitsounia)

Lychnarakia, oregon kalitsounia, are classical Cretan sweet food pastries and portion of a wider household of seasonal Aegean pastries traditionally prepared successful spring, when caller cheeses are astatine their best. Resembling small unfastened tarts, they are intimately related to Santorini’s melitinia and the food pies – oregon “tsibita” – of Tinos, though the Cretan version typically features a slightly thicker pastry and less decorative folds astir the edges.

Traditionally served astatine festive gatherings and vacation tables, they are filled with caller mizithra food and lightly scented with cinnamon. If you tin find clean, untreated citrus leaves, spot them implicit the warm pastries arsenic σύντομα arsenic they travel retired of the oven for an authentic finishing touch. The leaves besides marque a beauteous garnish for serving.

Chef: Kostis Kostakis, A la Grek

Preparation & Cooking time: Preparation time: 1 hour

Baking time: 30 minutes

Resting time: 30 minutes

Serves: astir 20 kalitsounia

Ingredients

For the dough

• 200 ml olive oil
• 300 ml caller whole milk
• 250 g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• Zest of 1 lemon
• About 1 kg all-purpose flour 

For the filling

• 1.5 kg soft, unsalted full-fat mizithra cheese, well drained
• 3 eggs
• 350 g sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp crushed cinnamon
• 3 tbsp cornstarch 

For brushing and topping

• 3 ovum yolks
• 3 tbsp caller whole milk
• A small sesame seeds (optional)
• A small crushed cinnamon
• A fewer untreated citrus leaves, washed and dried, oregon a small orangish blossom water

Method

Dough

• In the vessel of a stand mixer, whisk together each the dough ingredients but the flour until well combined.
• Gradually adhd the flour, kneading with the dough hook until you person a soft, pliable dough. You whitethorn not request to use each the flour.
• Cover the dough with integrative wrap and fto it remainder for 20-30 minutes.

Filling

In a bowl, premix together each the filling ingredients until evenly incorporated.

Kalitsounia

• Lightly flour your work surface and disagreement the dough into 4-5 portions.
• Roll retired each information into a thin sheet, astir 1 cm thick. Using a 6 cm circular cutter – oregon a solid of akin size – chopped retired circles of dough. You should person astir 20 discs successful total.
• Place a generous spoonful of filling successful the halfway of each disc, leaving a small borderline astir the edge.
• Lift the dough borderline astir the filling and pinch it decoratively with your fingers to signifier the pastries’ diagnostic shape. The much folds and pinches you make, the much traditional and decorative the kalitsounia will appear.

Bake

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Line 1 oregon two baking trays with parchment insubstantial and put the kalitsounia connected them.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the ovum yolks and milk, then brushwood the pastries evenly with the mixture.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon and sesame seeds, if using.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, oregon until aureate brown.
• As σύντομα arsenic they travel retired of the oven, screen the warm kalitsounia with citrus leaves oregon lightly sprinkle them with orangish blossom water.
• Cover loosely with a cleanable room towel and let them to chill wholly so they sorb the aromas.