Another one of my freezable favorites from Joyce Goldstein’s Sephardic Flavors…
These may be baked, but they are infinitely tenderer and the filling is juicier when fried. Although the recipe calls for boiling the potatoes, she prefers to bake them, as the dough will be less moist, making shaping easier.
2. Pierce the potatoes with a fork, place on the oven rack, and bake until very soft, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and, when cool enough to handle, cut in half, scoop out the potato flesh, and pass through a ricer or food mill placed over a bowl.
3. Add the eggs, salt, pepper and enough of the flour to make a smooth gnocchidough. Start with 1 1/2 cups and knead in more flour if it is too wet. If boiling the potatoes, peel them and place in a saucepan with salted water to cover generously.
4. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well and pass through a ricer or food mill placed over a bowl, or simply mash. Add the eggs, salt, pepper, and flour as directed above. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until it holds together and feels a bit elastic but not wet.
5. While the potatoes cook.
Make the filling:
1. Warm the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and beef and cook, breaking up the meat, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
2. Add salt, pepper, parsley and stir well. Cook until the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the soaked bread, if using and egg. Let the mixture cool.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter or glass, cut out rounds. Place a heaping teaspoonful of the meat mixture in the center of each circle. Run a stripe of eggwhite around the edge, fold in half, and press the edges, sealing securely.
4. The pastries can be frozen at this time for up to a month, single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet until frozen solid and then placed in an air tight re-sealable plastic bag or container.
5. Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 2 inches into a deep saucepan and heat to 350 Fahrenheit, on a deep frying thermometer. When the oil is hot, add the pastries, in batches, and fry, turning once, until golden, about 6-7 minutes.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Alternatively, arrange the pastries on an oiled baking sheet, brush the top of each pastry with egg yolk or olive oil, and bake in a preheated 400 Fahrenheit until golden, about 30 minutes. Serve the pastries hot.
Tried this recipe? Tell everyone what you think...
If you're not a member of Food Connect, you can sign up now. It takes about 30 seconds and is absolutely free!
If you've lost your password, enter your email address below and it will be mailed to you. If you're still having issues after this, you can contact us.
Your password has been sent to your e-mail address. Please check there to recover your password.
We couldn't find your e-mail in our system. Please check that your e-mail address is correct. If you continue to experience problems recovering your password, please e-mail our support department at support@foodconnect.com.
Securely log in through Facebook to FoodConnect using your Facebook username and password.
If you're not a member of Food Connect, you can sign up now. It takes about 30 seconds and is absolutely free!
If you've lost your password, enter your email address below and it will be mailed to you. If you're still having issues after this, you can contact us.
Your password has been sent to your e-mail address. Please check there to recover your password.
We couldn't find your e-mail in our system. Please check that your e-mail address is correct. If you continue to experience problems recovering your password, please e-mail our support department at support@foodconnect.com.
Print Page
Email a Friend
Rate or Review
Add Picture
Add to Shop List
