Barbajuans

http://www.monaco-consulate.com/news_barbajuans.htm

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 egg, beaten to blend
• 3 Tbsp (or more) water

Filling:

• 1½-tsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped leek (white part only)
• 2 Swiss chard leaves, stems & ribs removed, chopped
• ¾ cup chopped fresh spinach (about 1½ ounces)
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 2½ Tbsp ricotta cheese
• 1 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg white, beaten to blend
• Vegetable oil (for deep frying)

For pastry:

Combine flour and salt in processor. Add oil, 2 Tbsp egg (reserve remaining egg for filling) and 3 Tbsp water. Process until smooth dough forms, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Wrap dough in plastic and let stand 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare filling:

• Heat 1½-tsp olive oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and leek and sauté until tender and golden, about 4 minutes. Add chard, spinach and oregano and sauté until very tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Mix in cheeses. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in 1 Tbsp egg reserved from pastry. Set filling aside to cool.
• Line large baking sheet with foil. Roll out dough on floured surface to generous 1/16-inch thickness. Using floured 2- to 2½ inch round cutter, cut out rounds. Gather dough and re-roll, cutting out more rounds for a total of 24.
• Place 1 tsp filling in center of each dough-round. Brush edges of rounds with egg white. Fold dough over, forming half-circle, and press edges to seal. Place pastries on prepared baking sheet. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and freeze. Thaw before continuing, and pat dry if dough is wet).
• Pour vegetable oil into heavy large Dutch oven to depth of 1½ inches. Heat oil to 375°F. Working in batches, fry pastries until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pastries to paper towels and drain. Arrange pastries on platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.