Pumpkin and Honey Empanadas
It was the Spanish who introduced empanadas to the New World in the 16th century. The Mayans and Aztecs used the recipes of the Spaniards, but later incorporated their own ingredients with what they grew. All over Mexico there are different recipes and versions for empanadas, and some of the best I’ve had were in Colima, Mexico where I sampled the little pies filled with pumpkin and local honey. Of course, there was a bit of Colima sea salt in the dough and filling, which made them even tastier. I now make them at home, using my neighbor’s honey, canned pumpkin puree, and Colima sea salt. They’re best served straight from the oven, but if there are any leftover they are great reheated for breakfast.
Ingredients
Makes 2 dozen small empanadas
Dough:
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt (I use Colima sea salt)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ¼ cups (9 ounces) unsalted butter, cold and cut into ¼” cubes
1 large egg
½ cup cold water
Filling:
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling that is flavored)
¼ cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt (I use Colima sea salt)
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dusting:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Process
To make the dough, in a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the butter and cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or 2 small knives until mixture resembles cornmeal. Alternatively, you can put mixture into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 20 times. Add the egg and water and stir until dough comes together. You may need to add a few more drops of water if dough is to stiff. It should be a soft dough that is pliable, but not wet. Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium bowl, combine all the filling ingredients until smooth. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and place on a flour-dusted board. Roll to a ¼” thickness. Using a glass or round cutter that is about 4” in diameter, cut the dough into circles. Alternatively, you can portion the dough into 2-tablespoon balls and press in a tortilla press between 2 sheets of plastic.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling into the center of each dough circle and fold the dough over to make a half moon shape. Crimp the edges or press with the end of a fork to seal. Lay empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or greased with butter. Bake for 20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Immediately dust with sugar and cinnamon. These are best served warm or at room temperature. They keep up to 3 days in a sealed container in refrigerator. Reheat in a 350-degree oven for 8 minutes.
