Empanadas De Calabasa Sefardicas Sephardic Pumpkin Turnovers Recipes

PUMPKIN TURNOVER

Steps:

• Place the pumpkin in saucepan with the piloncillo, 1/4 cup of water and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender. Remove the cinnamon stick.
• At this time the piloncillo should had been dissolved, add the ground cinnamon, ground anis and clove. Keep cooking uncovered for about 20 or more minutes, stirring frequently until the mixture takes the texture of a jam. This can be done ahead of time and has to be a room temperature before forming the empanadas.
• To form the dough; Place the yeast in a small bowl add the warm milk and let it proof for about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile in a large bowl place the Flour, eggs, melted and cool butter, sugar and salt. Add the yeast mixture and mix to form a soft a dough. Knead in a floured surface for about 5 minutes adding more flour if needed.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl turning to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic and let it rest for about 1 1/2 hour in a warm place.
• After that period of time knead the dough again for 2-3 minutes and divide in 12 small soft balls to start forming the empanadas. Cover with plastic.
• Now to form the empanadas: With the help of your rolling pin roll out each of the dough balls in a slightly floured surface into circles of about 7 inches diameter stretching it if necessary.
• Place about 1/4 cup of filling in center of each; fold dough to enclose filling and form a half moon. Seal edges by crimping with fork.

EMPANADAS DE CALABASA SEFARDICAS (SEPHARDIC PUMPKIN TURNOVERS)

Steps:

• * NOTE: Can substitute half the amount of unbleached white pastry flour for the whole wheat pastry flour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Lightly oil an aluminum baking sheet or line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
• 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.
• Cover dough, set aside and let rest.
• Meanwhile, combine the filling ingredients and mix well.
• 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.)
• 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.
• Arrange the turnovers singly on the prepared baking sheet, brush lightly with egg wash and bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on rack.
• The uncooked, filled turnovers can be frozen.