Pumpkin Banitsa

Bulgarian Pumpkin Pastry

This Bulgaria dish is traditionally baked in the autumn. Our friend, Ventzi, came over one November evening and taught us how to make it, and it was an instant hit with our kids. We sat round the fireplace on a cold evening, eating slice after delicious slice of pumpkin banitsa, telling jokes and talking politics while the kids played around us.

I love the shape of this banitsa, with the filling rolled up in tubes of filo and arranged in rows. You can also make it layered between sheets in the pan or arranged in a continuous spiral in a cake pan – you may have enough filling with this recipe to stretch it to fill 2 – 9” cake pans. Serve with a thick, plain yogurt and enjoy with friends. I think it would make a fantastic Thanksgiving desert.

Ingredients:

· 1 (2 lb.) pie pumpkin, peeled, seeded and roasted, or 1 (1 lb.) can pumpkin puree

· 1 c. melted butter (2 sticks), plus ½ c. butter (1 stick) if you are using roasted pumpkin

· 1 c. sugar

· 1 c. chopped walnuts

· ½ t. cinnamon

· About 20 sheets filo dough, thawed

· 2 eggs

· ½ c. soda water

Preparation:

1. (If using canned pumpkin, skip to step 2). Mince roasted pumpkin. Melt ½ c. butter in large saucepan and add pumpkin and sugar, cooking on a medium-low heat and stirring frequently, until all moisture is evaporated and pumpkin is beginning to caramelize. Let cool. Puree in a food processor or run through a food mill. Stir in walnuts and cinnamon. (Go to step 3).

2. If using canned pumpkin, transfer to a bowl and add sugar, walnuts and cinnamon, mixing well.

3. Heat oven to 400°F.

4. Butter the sides of a rectangular baking dish (9”x13”).

5. Cut the filo dough in half (to make a shape approximating a square), and cover with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.

6. Lay a sheet of filo pastry flat, and brush lightly with melted butter. Place another sheet on top.

7. Place about 3 T. of filling along one edge and roll it up in a tube, brushing the outside layer of filo dough with butter as you roll.

8. Place roll along the width of the pan – begin at the edge.

9. Keep repeating steps 6 through 8 until you have filled the pan with one layer of rolled filo tubes, packed tight.

10. If you have any excess filo pastry, you can stuff it with feta cheese and fold into triangular pastries (put on baking sheet and bake separately).

11. Cut the banitsa in to the portion sizes you wish to have.

12. Crack 2 eggs in to a bowl, add the ½ c. of carbonated water and whisk.

13. Place whisked egg and carbonated water over the banitsa ensuring it goes into all the gaps where you have cut your portion sizes and that it covers the top in a thin layer as well.

14. Place banitsa in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

15. Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt.