Golden-Fried Pumpkin Purses |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 20 |
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Called Uncle Johns in the Monegasque dialect (or barbajuans), these little fried pouches are filled with pumpkin, leeks, rice, and Parmesan cheese. Like their Italian cousins the tortelli di zucca from Lombardy they are prepared like ravioli, but the similarity ends there. The dough, though not a pasta dough, is very thinly rolled and made with olive oil. The barbajuans are fried to a golden crispiness rather than boiled or baked, and they are served with aperitifs rather than as a first course. Ingredients:
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour |
1/4 cup olive oil |
1 teaspoon fine sea salt |
1 large egg |
1/2 cup ice-cold water |
1/4 cup olive oil |
2 pounds fresh pumpkin, cut into 3 or 4 large chunks, seeded, and strings removed |
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt |
1/2 cup arborio rice or other risotto rice |
4 slim leeks (white and tender green parts only), cut lengthwise in half, rinsed well, patted dry, and minced |
2 large eggs |
3/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (about 6 ounces) |
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
about 6 cups peanut oil, for frying |
coarse sea salt, for sprinkling |
Directions:
1. To make the pastry: Combine the flour, olive oil, and salt in the bowl of a food processor or a large bowl. Process for about 8 seconds, or mix, until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the egg and water and pulse 6 to 8 times, or mix briskly, until the dough forms a smooth ball. Remove from the bowl and kneed for a few minutes between the palms of your hands. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. To make the filling: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then grease well with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Place the pumpkin chunks skin side down on the sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, until the flesh of the pumpkin is very soft when pierced with the tip of a knife or fork. Let the pumpkin cool on the baking sheet.
4. Scrape the pumpkin flesh into a large bowl and mash until smooth. Set aside. In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil over a high heat. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the rice, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the rice is half-done, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until they are translucent, but not browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the pumpkin, then add the rice, eggs, half the Parmesan, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Mix with a wooden spoon, slowly adding the remaining Parmesan, until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
6. To assemble the purses: Using a pasta machine (ideally), roll out the dough to a 1/16 inch thickness. Or, on a floured surface, roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin into a rectangle approximately 13 by 22 inches and a 1/16 inch thick. The dough must be ultra-thin, and this is a challenge if working with a rolling pin; make sure both rolling pin and your work surface are well floured.
7. Position the dough so that a short side faces you. Then, filling in the bottom half of the rectangle, spoon 20 walnut-sizes mounds of filling evenly spaced over the dough, 1 1/2 inches apart. If you are working with a narrower, machine rolled dough rectangle, youll need to make ten rows of two. If youre working with 13 by 22 inch dough rectangle, make four rows of five mounds.
8. Moisten the dough slightly around each mound, then carefully lift carefully lift the top half of the dough with a spatula and fold it over the bottom half, making sure the edges for the dough meet on all sizes. Gently press the dough together around each mound of filling with your fingertips. Cut the individual purses apart, then press with the tines of the fork to seal. A slightly easier method of forming the purses practical if you are not adept at working with the dough is to cut the rolled-out dough into 20 individual rectangles approximately 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches. Place a walnut size mound of filling in the center of the right half of each. Very slightly moisten the edges of each rectangle, then fold the left half over the right and press all four sides closed with the tines of a fork to seal.
9. If you are not going to cook the purses immediately, place them on a lightly floured baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.
10. To cook the purses: Just before serving, heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat to between 325 and 350°F. Cook the purses 5 or 6 at a time, turning them once or twice, until they puff up and turn light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with a double layer of paper towels. Immediately sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve hot on a warmed platter or in a basket with napkins.
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