Cretan Kalitsounia with yeast

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 250 g wheat flour type 1050
• 12 g dry yeast
• ½ tsp mastic
• 60 g milk
• 1 egg(s), size M
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 30 g sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 250 g soft cheese (Misithra), see note
• 1 egg yolk
• 20 g sugar
• 1 tbsp honey, dark
• 1 pinch of cinnamon powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• sesame
• pine nuts
• Honey, light yellow
• flowers and leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

sweet pastries filled with misithra

For the dough: Mix the dry yeast with 1 tablespoon of flour, 20g of milk, and a pinch of sugar. Let it rise for 10 minutes. Grind the mastic (tears) into flour or use a mortar and pestle. Knead all of the dough ingredients with the yeast mixture until you have a medium-firm, smooth dough. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. For the filling: In the meantime, break the egg and separate the egg whites and yolks. Mix the egg whites with 2 tablespoons of water and set aside. Mix the misithra with the egg yolks, sugar, honey, cinnamon powder, and salt until smooth. Keep the filling covered and refrigerated until you are ready to make the flatbreads. Knead the dough briefly, divide it into 3 portions, and roll them out into sheets of dough about 2mm thick. Cut out circular discs about 10cm in diameter (use a suitable glass jar or empty tin). Knead the leftover dough, roll it out again, and punch it out until all the dough is used up. Place a disc of dough in front of you on the work surface, add a good tablespoon of the filling to the center, and press it out slightly. Then, using a brush, spread the egg white and water mixture onto the edges. Fold four opposite edges over the filling to form a closed, square package. Continue in this way until all the dough discs or filling are used up. Place the raw Kalitsounia on a greased baking sheet, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C (top/bottom heat). Whisk the egg yolk with the lemon juice, brush the dumplings with it, and sprinkle with white sesame seeds and raw pine nuts. Place the Kalitsounia in the oven on a medium heat and bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Place the kalitsounia on a serving platter, drizzle with honey, garnish, and serve warm as an appetizer or dessert. Note: If you can’t find misithra, you can substitute a mixture of 30% feta cheese and 70% curd cheese, blended until smooth. Recipe source: Mr. Olympios, Armonia Hotel, Crete.