A new kind of pumpkin pie! This is a traditional delicacy of Cyprus, a pastry filled with bulgur, pumpkin, and raisins. In the south, near Pafos, chopped fennel is added to the pumpkin-bulgur filling for freshness.
1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
1 1/4 cups water
1 (2-pound) pumpkin
½ cup dry bulgur wheat
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
1 tablespoon chopped fresh fennel
1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. To make dough for the pies, mix the flours in a large bowl with olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the water, and knead very well. Shape the dough into seven balls.
3. Cut the pumpkin into small cubes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin with the bulgur wheat, 1 teaspoon salt, olive oil, raisins, cinnamon, pepper, and fennel.
4. Roll out each ball of dough into a circle roughly 8 inches in diameter. Put 1/7 of the filling in the center, and fold the dough over in half, covering the pumpkin mixture and making an empanada-like shape. Secure the pie by pressing and twisting along the edges of the dough. Repeat with remaining balls of dough.
5. Arrange the pies on a baking sheet, covering loosely with foil. Bake for 60 minutes, until golden brown.
Recipe from Cyprus Food Treasures by Marilena Joannides, copyright 2017. Published by Marilenio Ltd., Nicosia, Cyprus. Stock photo by Vita Marija Murenaite on Unsplash.
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