FRIED SWEET CHEESE RAVIOLI WITH HONEY

Fried Sweet Cheese Ravioli with Honey image

These deep-fried dessert pastries, which are sweetened with honey, are known as _sebadas_.

Yield Makes about 24

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

4 cups coarsely grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese
15-ounce container whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup grated pecorino Sardo or pecorino Romano cheese
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel
4 cups bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, beaten to blend
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (about) room-temperature water
Corn oil or olive oil (for frying)
Honey (preferably chestnut)

Steps:

Mix all cheeses and lemon peel in large bowl; set cheese mixture aside.
Lightly flour 2 baking sheets. Mix bread flour and salt in another large bowl; mix in beaten eggs. Using fingertips, rub in butter a few pieces at a time until well blended. Add 1/2 cup water; stir to blend, adding more water by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Knead in bowl until dough comes together. Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured surface to scant 1/8-inch thickness. Using 3 1/2-inch-diameter cookie cutter or biscuit cutter and using sharp knife as aid, cut out rounds. Repeat with remaining dough pieces. Transfer half of dough rounds to prepared baking sheets. Place 2 level tablespoons cheese mixture in center of each dough round on baking sheets. Brush edges of dough rounds lightly with water. Cover with remaining dough rounds, pressing firmly on edges to adhere and seal.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Pour enough oil into heavy large pot to reach depth of 2 inches. Heat oil to 350°F. Add 3 to 4 ravioli at a time to hot oil in pot and deep-fry until golden, turning once, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Place ravioli on baking sheets and keep warm in oven while frying remaining ravioli. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool; cover and refrigerate. Place on baking sheets and rewarm in 350°F oven until heated through and cheese melts, about 10 minutes.) Place ravioli on platter. Drizzle with honey and serve hot.