Kabakli Börek // Pumpkin Filled Pastries

Halloween may be over but it is still pumpkin season and if you love vegetables like butternut squash you will love some pumpkin in your winter dinners. Pumpkins can also be used in sweet dishes and this recipe is on of my favourite Turkish pastry treats, filled with pumpkin, raisins, rice and sugar, it makes the prefect filling for some bread like pastry bakes that are perfect with a nice pot of tea during the autumn/ winter months.

When I was growing up I would always be in the kitchen with my mum and both my nene's and would always watch and help them with such wonderful cooks and bakes. I want to do the same with my children, so remembering these recipes or creating my own is great fun and I am so grateful for having my blog to share them all with anyone who wants to read.

Here is my Kabakli Börek recipe...

INGREDIENTS

(makes 15)

Dough

450 grams Plain Flour

2 grams dry Active Yeast (1/4 of a sachet)

200ml water (add a little more water if dough is too dry)

50ml milk

2 tbsp sugar

a few pinches of salt

Filling

1 Medium Culinary Pumpkin, washed and cut into small chunks

5 tbsp sugar

1 large handful of raisins

1 large handful of rice, washed

4 tablespoons water

Egg and milk wash to finish before bake (1 egg and a little milk whisked)

METHOD

In a large saucepan with a lid add the pumpkin, raisins, rice, sugar and water, cook on a medium heat

Cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop it from sticking to the pan (if sticking occurs turn down to a low heat, rice should be cooked) then set aside to cool with the lid on

Make your dough by adding all the ingredients together and combine together with your hands

Knead well on a floured surface for about 15 minutes

Cover the bowl of dough with cling film and cover with a towel

Leave in a warm place for about an hour for the dough to rise and double in size

Line two large baking trays with parchment paper

To make the individual pastries, set yourself up on the kitchen table or worktop with a bowl of egg and milk wash, plain flour, a pastry brush, a teaspoon and a rolling pin

On a clean and floured surface roll out 15cm in length circle of pastry (the trick is to roll a small amount of dough in a ball and roll out turning the pastry each time to create an even sized circle of dough) making one at a time

Fill the centre of the bottom half of the pastry and cover with the top, a couple of teaspoons of filling should be enough, don't place too near the sides

Press down the edges to stop filling from pouring out

Preheat fan oven to 180 degree and before placing the pastries into the oven use the pastry brush to lightly coat each with a little egg and milk wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is a lovely golden brown