Name: Golden-Fried Pumpkin Purses
Yield: Makes 20 purses
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

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.

Recipe notes

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