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)

Method:

• 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 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.