Pumpkin Empanadas

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Pumpkin Empanadas

Pumpkin Empanadas

Well, it is most certainly pumpkin season! For the past few weeks, while trolling for fall recipes, I have been overwhelmed by the volume and variety of pumpkin recipes. When I was a kid, we had two pumpkin treats: pumpkin pie and pumpkin cake. Well now we are putting pumpkin in everything imaginable. I could fill this page with the pumpkin recipes I found recently! And, the best thing? They all sound wonderful to me. You see, I love pumpkin just as much as the rest of you. So when I found this recipe on Epicurious, I just had to make it, or my version of it. The original recipe called for a very laborious procedure of cooking your own fresh pumpkins. I don’t have the time or the patience for that, so I have modified the original recipe to suit my style. The empanada dough is delicious and really sturdy, so you will be able to cart them around to all of your fall parties without causing too much damage to the turnovers. The next time I make them, I am going to serve them with whipping cream, spiked with cinnamon liqueur…I can’t wait!

I am going to tempt my Fiesta Friday buddies with my empanadas today. Can you believe that we are still gathering at Angie’s place, The Novice Gardener, every Friday for the most amazing virtual blog party around? Never been? Oh, you really must come and join us. This is the party not to be missed!

DSC_6417

Pumpkin Empanadas

  • Difficulty: moderate
  • Print

Ingredients:

Dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

2 eggs

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling:

1 large can pure pumpkin (540 ml)

½ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon salt

grated rind of 1 orange

Topping:

1 egg white

¼ cup coarse sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

To make the dough, mix together the first 3 ingredients. Cut in the butter. Add the eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Continue to work in with your hands until you have a soft dough. Divide the dough in half and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To make the filling, stir together all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and chill until the assembly time.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough balls. Cut circles of approximately 5 inches in diameter. 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 2 halves. Fold over the dough to cover the 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 the egg white. Sprinkle with the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Puncture the top of each pie with a knife or fork to allow the steam to escape while baking.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the empanadas on the sheet and bake for 20 minutes in the middle of the oven, until the pies are golden brown and the pastry is cooked.

Enjoy the empanadas warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate baked empanadas for a few days. Reheat in a toaster oven or bake at 350° F. for 8 minutes.

Try serving them with whipped cream, spiked with cinnamon liqueur!

Try serving them with whipped cream, spiked with cinnamon liqueur!

 

46 Responses to “Pumpkin Empanadas”

  2. Jhuls

    Yeah, it’s already FF #40, Chef Julianna and it’s really awesome that we still gather together… and I think we’ll be doing this until we get old. 😀 And to the pumpkin empanadas, wow, this is the first time I am ‘eating’ this – these Empanadas sound and look delicious and tempting. Happy FF, Chef Julianna. ❤

    Reply
    • chefjulianna

      Wow! Ff #40, already? Phew! I can’t believe it!! As long as we are all still having fun, right? 😀 Well, Jhuls, I am so glad that I can tempt you with something new! I really hope that you like them! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Hilda

    I was thinking of making a pumpkin pie, but these look so much more practical and fun – with or without the spiked whipped cream! Thanks for bringing them to the Fiesta, and have a lovely weekend.

    Reply
  7. chefjulianna

    Hey Hilda! So nice to think that you would try one of my recipes! I was super happy with them, so I hope you like them too! Happy Fiesta Friday to you and I do hope that you have a lovely weekend too!

    Reply
    • Hilda

      Of course I will try them. Especially when you use ingredients I can get in my garden, which for the past few months has been my main supermarket. Oooh, how I dread winter and going shopping again.

      Reply
  11. spiceinthecity

    Empanadas with pumpkin!!! How perfectly delicious Julianna!! Love the spices in there, it just looks amazing!! And I am in love with the first picture! The pumpkins in the background and the empanadas in the foreground: sheer fabulousness!! Happy FF xx

    Reply
  23. cookingwithauntjuju.com

    They look delicious Julianna and like you I am accumulating quite a file on pumpkin recipes and cookbooks. I meant to thank you for your kind comments when I was featured on FF 38 for my Halloween post. At first I thought they were Angie’s words. Thanks so much and I am glad you liked the post.

    Reply
  24. lapetitecasserole

    Even though you were overwhelmed I think you’ve chosen the right one! Your empanadas look scrumptious! Thanks for bringing this sweet and original treat to FF! Have a great Sunday! p.s Tmw I’m going to make again your lemon lavender chicken!

    Reply
  27. milkandbun

    Can I come over for a cup of tea and empanadas? 😀 The crust looks so crispy and delicious, and pumpkin filing is perfect for the fall season!
    Have a lovely week, Julianna!

    Reply
  28. Nancy

    What beautiful empandas, Julianna! Please tell me you’ve been practicing your technique for years and years. 😉 I’m so jealous of your final results…and boy, oh boy, they sound absolutely delicious too! ❤

    Reply
  30. mrsugarbears

    Oh my goodness! Just stop making these delicious treats now! How will I ever hold out until I can make these now?
    PS-your pics are amazing!

    Reply
  32. petra08

    Oh I can’t believe I missed these! They look gorgeous and what a great idea to make empanadas. The spices sounds so lovely and warming with the pumpkin! 🙂

    Reply
    • chefjulianna

      Hey Petra! That’s the great thing about the net: stuff is always still sitting there for us to peruse! I know, before I saw this recipe, I had always thought of empanada made with savoury ingredients. This worked out beautifully. Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂

      Reply

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