Kalitsounia me Mizithra (Cheese Crescents)

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~ Ingredients:   ~ 2 cups all-purpose flour ~ 1/2 pound ricotta cheese (known as fresh myzithra) ~ 1/4 cup of olive oil or (1/2 stick) unsalted butter ~ 2 tbsp sesame seeds ~ 1 large egg, beaten ~ 2 tsp salt ~ 2/3 cup water (more if needed)

 

~ Place the flour in a medium size bowl, add 1 tbsp of salt, the butter or olive oil and mix well until it looks like oatmeal. ~ Add enough water so that the dough does not stick in your hands when kneading it turns into smooth dough. ~ Cover the bowl with the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. ~ Place the ricotta or fresh myzithra cheese in a medium size bowl with the remaining 1 tbsp of salt and mush and mix them well. ~ On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough with a rolling pin into about 1/8 thick. ~ With a tea saucer (which is about 4 inch in diameter), or a pastry cuter, cut as many pieces as you can. ~ Collect all the cut off dough, knead it again, roll it out and cut some more round pieces. ~ Place a full tbsp of filling in the center of the circle, fold over to form a half moon. ~ Using a brush wet the round ends (on the inside) and with a fork or a pastry crimper, crimp the ends. ~ Place each pastry made on a greased baking pan. ~ Brush all the pastries with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. ~ Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (See conversions for Fahrenheit) for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. ~ Kalitsounia me Mizithra (Cheese Crescents) can be served hot, warm or cold. ~ Kalitsounia me Mizithra (Cheese Crescents) can also be fried instead of baking. ~ Kalitsounia me Mizithra (Cheese Crescents) are great as a meze (appetizer) with a nice Greek Red Wine or Ouzo. ~ Good luck and enjoy.