Empanadas De Calabasa Sefardicas (Sephardic Pumpkin Turnovers)

Cookgirl's Note:

Turnovers inspired by the Sephardic tradition-simple and delicious. Adapted from Nava Atlas' cookbook Vegetarian Celebrations.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 24 turnovers

Pastry

• 2 -2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (read NOTE*)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup water

Filling

• 1 cup pumpkin puree, canned
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, to taste
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 dash freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/3 cup apple, peeled, seeded and grated
• 2 tablespoons dried dates (optional) or 2 tablespoons dried apricots, minced small (optional)
• egg wash

Directions:

1. * NOTE: Can substitute half the amount of unbleached white pastry flour for the whole wheat pastry flour.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Lightly oil an aluminum baking sheet or line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. To make the dough, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the oil and water. With your hands, work the mixture to form a soft dough, adding more dough if necessary so that it loses its stickiness.
5. Cover dough, set aside and let rest.
6. Meanwhile, combine the filling ingredients and mix well.
7. Now on a floured surface roll out the prepared dough to 1/16" thickness. Use a 3" round cookie cutter to cut out the dough. (You could also use a tortilla press to form the turnovers.)
8. Place one heaping teaspoon of the pumpkin filling on one side of each circle, fold over, slightly dampen edges with water, and pinch edges shut. I use my dim sum maker to seal the turnovers.
9. Arrange the turnovers singly on the prepared baking sheet, brush lightly with egg wash and bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Cool on rack.
11. The uncooked, filled turnovers can be frozen.

Reviews

[Pablo and Meri]

These were excellent! We used Splenda in place of the sugars, I would cut the amount down next time but very delicious.

[Lioness]

I made this last night for Chanukah. They were good but very small. I didn't realize they are basically cookies. Next time I'll double the recipe so that I can make them bigger. I subsituted agave nectar in place of the sugar. Didn't use the dates or apricots or egg wash. They look fantastic and taste better. My only very tiny complaint is that the only way to get more than about 9 is to roll them very thin and make them very small...

[VitaSource]

The filling (with only 2 Tb sugar) was very good. Used another crust, 5", made almost 14. Served with chutneys (cilantro and nectarine) and aioli. Seems strange but it was all wonderful! Very seasonal.