Now I know there aren’t that many ingredients and well the method seams relatively simple but trust me this is BIG on flavour.
This is my favourite childhood dessert. My mother was taught by my grandmother and I make it for my friends and family too. I love pumpkin and I’ve made this pie for friends that have never enjoyed eating this glorious orange coloured vegetable as a savoury addition to a meal let alone as a dessert…….and “they have loved it”. The aroma of it baking in the oven, the butter caramelising the fillo pastry and the smell of the sweet spiced pumpkin makes for one heavenly combination.
Utensils: 1 large bowl 1 Vegetable grater 1 Deep baking pan 25cm x 25cm x 5cm (a little bigger is ok) 1 pastry brush Ingredients: 600g Pumpkin (peel and seed discarded the pumpkin flesh grated) 80g Sugar (I like to use Coconut Sugar) 80g Currants 1/2 Tbs Cinnamon powder 1/4 tsp Clove powder 1/2 Orange Zest only (optional) 1/2 tsp Salt 1pkt Fillo pastry 100g Unsalted butter melted (cooled to room temperature) 30g Rice Bran oil Method: 1: Grate the pumpkin and place in a deep bowl 2: Add the sugar, currants, spices, salt and orange zest mix well cover the bowl with cling film and set aside for approximately 30 minutes. When you are ready to assemble preheat the oven 170 Degrees(fan forced) 3: Butter the deep baking pan. Lay flat 1 sheet of fillo pastry and brush with butter line the inside of the baking dish then repeat with the next filo pastry sheet till you have 4 pastry sheets lining the base and edges. *You will need to be a little creative when you lay out the sheets making sure to cover the edges and leave any excess hang over the lip of your baking dish as you will flip it over when you have added the filling. 4: Pour the pumpkin filling in spread evenly. Fold over any over hanging pastry. Butter 2 more sheets of pastry and lay them over the top of the filling - make sure to fold over and execs pastry this time so that all the top layer is nice and flat. 5: Butter 2 more sheets this time you will need to cut them to size so thatthey fit perfectly. Make fillo ruffles by gently making folds and gently scrunching then together and placing on top. Repeat the till the top is completely covered. You will need about 7 sheets or more. 6: Bake for approximately 35 - 45 minutes or till the pastry is golden brown. Ive always served this dessert at room temperature dusted with icing sugar or you could try agave powder and just a little more cinnamon powder. if you would like to serve it hot then a nice scoop of vanilla ice-cream is perfect. I hope you all enjoy my very own child hood favourite. Note: tps = teaspoon TBS = Tablespoon