Limoncello Kaltsounia or Lychnarakia, another twist

Kaltsounia or Lychnarakia, is probably the most known Cretan recipe.   Remember my post on Calzone where I mentioned the connection of the two names?

Kaltsounia can be either with a sweet or savory filling and the pastry shell differs in each case. 

Savory Kaltsounia use a pastry phyllo in which they add raki and for filling they add some greens like spinach and some wild greens, with herbs or just with xynomyzithra and eggs, which is a light whey cheese, similar to ricotta. 

In other parts of Greece we call these bourekia.

The sweet kaltsounia are very different in taste and shape.  They are called "lychnarakia, also written lihnarakia" because of their shape, resembling old oil lamps, whereas in other parts of Greece they are called "melitinia" meli = honey.

The Greek cheese used is myzithra (anthotyro), which can be flavoured with cinnamon, vanilla or lemon zest.  The phyllo is made with olive oil, flour, yoghurt (or milk) and eggs, so it tastes more like a cookie filled with cheese.

My twist to this recipe is that I made the pastry with butter and added  lemon zest and limoncello in the filling, giving the cheese a lovely lemony taste. 

The pastry shell was not very sweet and my children said they would prefer them to be more sweet but for my taste they were perfect. 

When I make them again next time I may add a couple of tablespoons sugar in the pastry and in the filling shall go even further and make them with lemon curd and anthotyro.

Limoncello Kaltsounia or Lihnarakia 

Kaltsounia or Lychnarakia are Cretan cookies, traditionally made during Easter. They have a sweet pastry shell and are filled with anthotyro (ricotta).

Preparation time: 1 hour

Baking time: 25 – 30 minutes

Makes: 24

Ingredients:

For the pastry shell

• ¼ cup lukewarm milk
• 8 grams dried yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 100 grams butter, reserve 1 teaspoon for filling
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons yoghurt
• 500 grams self raising flour

For the filling

• 500 grams anthotyro
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 egg beaten, (reserve just a little to brush on top)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons limoncello
• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
• Egg for brushing on top
• Cinnamon for top

Directions:

1. In a small bowl add yeast, sugar and milk and mix. Leave it for a few minutes until it bubbles.
2. In the mixer bowl beat the butter and sugar.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time until incorporated and then add the yoghurt.
4. Add the yeast mixture and finally the flour and salt until the dough is ready. The dough should be soft but not sticky on the hands.
5. In the mixer bowl mix the anthotyro with sugar.Add the honey and the egg and whisk.Add cinnamon, vanilla, lemon zest and limoncello and mix whisk creamy.
6. Roll out the dough and cut into disks about 10 cm in diameter. Fill in with 1 heaped teaspoon of filling leaving about 1 cm edge. With your two fingers pinch the dough in order to form sort of pleats. Start with making four. One above, one below, one left and one right and then between each fold make two more.
7. Place on a baking tin, lined with parchment paper. Brush with the egg and sprinkle some cinnamon on top.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for about 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown.

This recipe also goes to Rosa, of Rosa's Yummy Yums, for her even Pastries For Peace.

This recipe also goes to Susan of Food Blogga for her event Eat Christmas Cookies, Season 3

Other relevant recipes:

Greek Anthotyros and Fig Muffins

Sweet Cream Cheese Pie

Moustokouloura me Anthotyro (Grape must cookies with cheese)

Bourekia me Freskia Anari (Pastries filled with anthotyro cheese and cinnamon)

Kolokythopita me Myzithra (Savory Pumpkin and cheese pie)

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!