Skip to main content
Recipes
September 2008

Cheese or Chocolate Sebadas

Photography by Craig Cutler
Image may contain Frying Pan Wok Food and Meal

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 24 cheese or chocolate sebadas

Ingredients

Cheese Filling

1½

cups coarsely grated Brinata or aged Manchego cheese (6 to 7 ounces)

1

tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

1

tablespoon beaten egg

Chocolate Filling

3½

ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (about ½ cup)

½

cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)

1

tablespoon finely grated orange peel

Dough and Assembly

½

cup semolina flour (pasta flour)

½

cup all purpose flour

Pinch of salt

6

tablespoons (about) whole milk, divided

Fresh mint leaves (for cheese)

1

large egg, beaten to blend

2

cups olive oil (for frying)

Sugar

Chestnut honey or other honey

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Cheese Filling

    Step 1

    Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use, up to 1 day.

  2. Chocolate Filling

    Step 2

    Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Cover and let stand until ready to use, up to 1 day.

  3. Dough and Assembly

    Step 3

    Mix semolina flour, all purpose flour, and salt in large bowl to blend. Add 4 tablespoons milk and toss until moist dough forms, adding more milk by tablespoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth, about 1 minute. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.

    Step 4

    Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; dust with flour. Knead dough to soften. Divide into 4 pieces; cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Set pasta machine to widest setting. Flatten 1 dough piece into rectangle; run though machine. Fold in half, end to end, and run through machine again. Continue, adjusting to next-narrower setting after every 4 or 5 passes and dusting with all purpose flour as needed to keep from sticking, until sheet is 22 to 24 inches long and about 1/16 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Roll out second dough strip to same length and thickness.

    Step 5

    Drop cheese or chocolate filling onto 1 dough strip by heaping teaspoonfuls, spacing about 1½ inches apart. Place ½ mint leaf on each mound of cheese filling. Brush dough around filling with beaten egg. Top with second dough strip; press dough around mounds to seal. Using pastry wheel or 2-inch round or square ravioli cutter, cut out sebadas. Transfer to prepared sheet.

    Step 6

    Repeat with remaining dough and cheese or chocolate filling.

    Step 7

    Pour oil into heavy large skillet. Place deep-fry thermometer in oil (leaning top over rim of skillet) and heat to 375°F over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry sebadas until dough is crisp and golden and filling is cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to paper towels and drain.

    Step 8

    Arrange sebadas on platter. Sprinkle with sugar; serve with chestnut honey.

    Do Ahead: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover loosely with towel and let stand at room temperature.

Explore Bon AppétitPastriesFritterDessertItalianEuropeanSemolina FlourChocolateNutellaCheeseDeep-fry