Pumpkin Empanada

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 7 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ice cold water
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (if buying from a can, be sure to buy puree and not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 orange, zest of (rind)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sugar

Recipe

• 1 to make pastry dough: place butter and shortening in freezer for 15 minutes then cut both into small pieces. in the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt by pulsing 3 to 4 times.
• 2 add butter and pulse 5 to 6 times until it is blended uniformly. add shortening and pulse another 3 to 4 times.
• 3 remove lid of food processor and pour in the ice water and egg. replace lid and pulse 5 times. stop to scrape down the sides and process for another 5 pulses.
• 4 the dough should hold together when clinched in your fist.
• 5 place mixture in a large zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, press into a rounded disk, and then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• 6 to make pumpkin filling:.
• 7 in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter; stir in the brown sugar. let this heat for a few minutes until the brown sugar is dissolved into the butter. stir in the pumpkin and the spices.
• 8 continue to stir over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, or long enough that the pumpkin begins to stiffen and hold its shape. test this by picking up a small amount in a spoon.
• 9 remove from heat and stir in the orange peel.
• 10 in a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar; set aside.
• 11 prepare oven to 425 degrees f. lightly grease a large baking sheet. take the chilled pastry dough and divide it in half.
• 12 divide each half into eight pieces. on a floured board, roll each of the pieces into a circle about 4 inches across and 1/8-inch thick.
• 13 fill each with a generous tablespoon of the cooled pumpkin filling. fold the circle into a half-moon shape enclosing filling.
• 14 using a fork, press down the edges into a crimped border. not only will this look nice, it will help keep the empanada closed after baking.
• 15 with a pastry brush, paint the top with the egg wash (made by combining one egg with a teaspoon of water).
• 16 bake approximately 15 minutes or until tops are golden and the edges are lightly browned. sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar immediately after removing from the oven.