Pumpkin Phyllo Turnover Recipes

EASY PUMPKIN TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Mix pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl.
• Roll out puff pastry into a 12x12 inch square and cut each sheet into 9 - 4 inch squares.
• Spoon pumpkin mix into center of pastry squares; wet edges of each square with water, fold over, corner to corner, and pinch edges together. Place onto prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool on the pans for 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

PUMPKIN KOLOKITHOPITA (GREEK PHYLLO PASTRIES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking sheet with butter.
• Mix together pumpkin, honey, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
• Cut phyllo dough into vertical strips about 2 inches wide, and cover the pile of phyllo strips with a clean, damp tea towel.
• Lay one phyllo strip flat on a workspace in front of you. Using a pastry brush, brush the surface of the phyllo dough with an even coat of melted butter. Place a tablespoon of the pumpkin filling at the end of the phyllo strip. Starting at the end with the pumpkin filling, fold the phyllo dough over as you would a flag until the phyllo is the shape of a triangle. Place on baking sheet.
• Repeat until all of the pumpkin filling is used up.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the tops of the triangles are golden brown.

PUMPKIN PIE PHYLLO BITES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the pumpkin pie filling, heavy cream and egg in a large bowl and mix well. Spoon the filling into 30 ready-made mini phyllo shells, filling no more than 3/4 full. Place the filled shells on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped pecans, if desired.

PUMPKIN TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Make pumpkin filling:
• Rinse off the exterior of the pumpkin in cool or warm water, no soap. Using a serrated knife cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the pumpkin seeds. Scrape out the stringy layer (pulp) with a spoon. Discard seeds and pulp. Cut pumpkin into 3- to 4-inch slices leaving the skin on.
• In a steamer or large pot, steam the pumpkin in the 2 cups of water, making sure to keep the lid on tight, for 20 to 40 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender. The pumpkin is ready when your fork slides easily into the flesh.
• Let the pumpkin cool. Once cooled, scoop the pumpkin flesh off the skins and into a mixing bowl. Discard the skins. Mash the steamed pumpkin with a potato masher and strain the liquid into a bowl. Reserve the liquid and set pumpkin puree aside.
• In the same large pot, put the reserved liquid from the pumpkin (about 1/2 to 2/3 cup) and add cinnamon sticks and cloves. Bring liquid to a boil and then remove from the heat. Replace lid and let steep for 30 minutes.
• Remove cinnamon and cloves and add pumpkin puree to the liquid. Add the piloncillo and over medium-low heat let it melt into the pumpkin puree, stirring occasionally so it will not burn or stick to the pot. The pumpkin puree will turn a dark color with the piloncillo making it sweeter.
• Once the piloncillo has melted, lower the heat to low and let simmer uncovered until all the water evaporates. Remove from heat and allow pumpkin puree to cool down before refrigerating, about 15 minutes.
• To help puree set, place in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight. If some liquid separates, remove it with a spoon before using so the filling is not watery.
• You can make the empanada dough after your filling has chilled.
• Make empanada dough:
• Mix the first 3 dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening. It is best to use your hands. Add the eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Continue to work in with your hands until you have a soft dough. Split the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Assemble and bake empanadas:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Take out half the dough and split it into 12 equal balls of dough.
• On a floured surface, roll out the dough balls into small round circles. Place a small dollop of pumpkin filling on one half of each of the dough circles. Wet the bottom edge of the circles with water to help seal the two halves. Fold over the dough to cover filling and seal off the edges with a fork by pressing down along the edges. This also makes for a pretty pattern when baked. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Brush each empanada with some canned evaporated milk or egg whites, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Puncture the top of each empanada with a fork to allow steam to escape while baking.
• Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray, place the empanadas on the cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes on middle rack in the oven. If after 15 minutes you notice the bottoms of the empanadas starting to brown, move the cookie sheet to the top rack and continue to bake for the last 5 minutes, until golden brown.
• Enjoy the empanadas warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate baked empanadas for a few days. Reheat in a toaster oven or bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

FIVE-SPICE PUMPKIN PIE WITH PHYLLO CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir together 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder. Brush 1 sheet of phyllo with butter (as you work, keep remaining phyllo covered with a kitchen towel); sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar mixture.
• Starting at one short end, fold in half to enclose butter and sugar mixture; brush top with more butter. Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan, buttered-side-down, gently pressing into bottom and sides.
• Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, and sugar mixture, arranging in overlapping layers to completely and evenly cover bottom and sides of pan.
• Bake until crust is crisp and golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. (The baked cooled crust can be wrapped and stored at room temperature up to 1 day.)
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, milk, syrup, vanilla, flour, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder until smooth. Pour mixture into crust and bake 20 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking until custard is just set in center, 40 to 50 minutes more. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool completely. Remove pie from pan, cut into wedges, and serve with whipped cream.