Barbagiuan

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 05 minutes

Servings: 6 servings (approx. 18 pastries)

Country of Origin: Monaco

Description

Monaco’s national snack: crisp fried pastry turnovers stuffed with a savory filling of Swiss chard, ricotta, parmesan, and leeks.

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Served warm or at room temperature as an appetizer or finger food for national celebrations.

Ingredients

• Dough: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 cup warm water, 1 egg white

• Filling: 2 cups Swiss chard leaves, finely chopped and wilted

• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

• 1 small leek, white part finely diced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Vegetable oil (for deep frying)

• Salt, pepper, nutmeg

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Make Dough: Knead flour, salt, olive oil, egg white, and water into smooth dough. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

2. Sauté Filling: Sauté leeks, garlic, and chopped Swiss chard in olive oil for 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

3. Mix Filling: Stir ricotta, grated parmesan, salt, pepper, and pinch of nutmeg into chard mix until blended.

4. Roll & Shape: Roll dough out thin (1/16-inch). Stamp out 3-inch rounds. Spoon filling in center, fold into half-moons, and seal edges with fork.

5. Fry: Fry pastries in hot vegetable oil (350°F / 175°C) for 3–4 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Optional

• Spinach: Use spinach if Swiss chard is unavailable.

Cooking Tips

• Thin Dough: Roll pastry dough as thin as possible to guarantee a light, crispy turnover after deep frying.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving, based on 6 servings / 3 pastries)

• Calories: ~310 kcal

• Total Fat: 17g

• Saturated Fat: 5g

• Cholesterol: 30mg

• Sodium: 380mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 30g

• Dietary Fiber: 2g

• Sugars: 1g

• Protein: 9g