Kalitsounia
Kalitsounia (Greek: καλιτσούνια) are small cheese or herb pies associated with the Greek island of Crete. They resemble a common cheese or stuffed pie with the principal difference of its filling and serving variations. So, in Chania we find the salty kalitsounia, stuffed with the locally made mild whey cheese mizithra, or various herbs from the Cretan land (without cheese) and the sweet kalitsounia, also stuffed with mizithra but with honey poured on top.
| Course | Pie, Appetizer |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Greece |
| Region or state | Crete |
| Main ingredients | Flour, mizithra and honey |
To make the filling for cheese kalitsounia the whey cheese is grated and mixed with eggs (so the filling will hold together), and finely chopped herbs.[1]
This is a unique delicacy served in the entire island and throughout Chania prefecture, from popular restaurants in Chania town to small mountainous villages. There is also another version of kalitsounia made with dough (and not the very thin leaves of filo pastry), stuffed also with mizithra and cinnamon. Kalitsounia can be either baked or fried depending on whether they are made with dough or filo.[2]
References
- "Καλιτσούνια χανιώτικα στον φούρνο!".
- Vilma Chantiles (1992). Food of Greece: Cooking, Folkways, and Travel in the Mainland and Islands of Greece. Simon and Schuster. pp. 252. ISBN 9780671750961.
