‘Kalitsounia’ is a traditional Cretan recipe especially made during Easter. The combination of mizithra, a mild cheese with sugar and cinammon is a wonderful way to have a light and yet tasteful dessert. Crete is famous for its local cuisine so it’s no wonder how everyone going there wants to try ‘Kalitsounia’ which are nowadays made throught the year because of their popularity. Baking them will fill your house with incredible smells, in my case with incredible memories too.. 

the recipe

ingredients

for the dough

• 650gr. flour
• 20gr. baking powder
• 220gr. sugar
• 1 egg
• 200gr. Greek yogurt
• 140gr. olive oil
• the juice of half orange

for the filling

• 500gr. Greek mizithra
• 120gr. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2tsp. cinnamon
• 1 vanilla extract
• skin of half a lemon
• 1 egg yolk mixed with some olive oil for baking

directions

for the dough

• Mix all liquid ingredients and sugar with a spoon and then add the flour and baking powder until you get a soft dough.
• Knead with your hands and let it rest for 1 hour in the fridge.

for the filling

• Mix all ingredients in a blender or with a spoon until you get a puree.

for ‘kalitsounia’..

• Preheat oven at 180 degrees C.
• Open the dough in a phyllo 2-3mil. thick (r thicker if you want) using some flour. Make round pieces using a glass.
• Put a teaspoon of the filing in the middle of each round dough piece and shape it by folding the edges of the dough to the center of the round.
• Cover the surface of each kalitsouni with some of the mixture of a beaten yolk and olive oil and put in the uncovered mizithra some cinnamon.
• Bake in a pan with baking paper for 20′ until they get a golden color and..

Enjoy !

Tips!

• Let mizithra get as dry as it gets in a strainer the night before you make the recipe. It has to be very dry. If you still it’s too wet you can add 2-3tsp. corn flour.
• As you open the dough into the small rounds keep the rest of it in the fridge. It opens easier when it is colder.
• You can find the original Cretan recipe here .