Ingredients
For Filling:
2 (19-ounce) cans chick peas, drained
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespons honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons white granulated sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For Dough:
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
3 beaten eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup milk
5 cups flour
Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
To Make Filling:
Grind chick peas in a food processor, one can at a time, until smooth. Place puree in a bowl.
Add vanilla, honey, lemon jice, brown sugar, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and ground cinnamon.
Stir well to be sure spices are well blended.
To Make Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and milk. Whisk until well blended.
Gradually stir in flour intil a soft dough forms.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for about 2 minutes. Cover and set aside.
Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll out on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thick.
With a 3-inch cookie cutter, or inverted glass, make as many rounds as the dough will permit.
Place one teaspoon filling into center of each circle.
Fold dough over to form a half-moon. Seal seams of dough with a fork.
With a pastry wheel, go around the edge to remove just a small amount of dough to ensure that edges are sealed. Scraps of dough can be set aside to rest and re-rolled at the end. Continue until all of the pants have been made.
Place a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Pour in oil to a depth of about 3 inches and heat to 375 degrees F.
Fry the cavazoons in heated vegetable oil for 1 to 2 minutes, until just browned on both sides.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
YIELD: 5 dozen
Notes
This recipe was taken from Rizzi DeFabo's cookbook, "Cooking with Rizzi" (Crabtree Press, 2010) with the expressed permission of the author, an award-winning Italian-American chef and owner of "Rizzo's Malabar Inn." "Rizzo's Malabar Inn" is located in southwestern Pennsylvania (126 Rizzo Road, Crabtree, Salem Township). The food served at this restaurant, a local landmark dating back to the 1920s, reflects the culinary traditions of Abruzzo and Molise. Rizzi DeFabo notes in his cookbook that "For over a month, we prepare for the St. Joseph Feast, making 3,000 of these Molise treats to be given away. As they are made, the cavazoons are frozen to keep them at the peak of freshness. During the week of the Feast, they are placed on the festive table for our guests to enjoy. The word "Cavazoon" is dialect for Calzone, the Italian word for Pants...." Photo: Mary Melfi. |
