Pumpkin Hand Pies

Ingredients

Pumpkin filling

• 600g peeled pumpkin
• ½ tsp cumin 
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 
• Pinch salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• 100g feta
• 1 cup ricotta

Pastry

• 2 cups plain flour 
• 200g chilled butter 
• 100ml double cream 
• Pinch salt
• 1 egg and a splash of milk (for egg wash)

Method

Pumpkin filling

1. Dice the pumpkin into 2cm cubes. Place the diced pumpkin into a large mixing bowl with the; cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper and olive oil. Toss the pumpkin and spices together until the pumpkin is evenly coated in oil and spice.
2. Transfer the pumpkin onto a large baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until tender and golden.
3. Tip the cooked pumpkin back into the mixing bowl. Crumble the feta over the pumpkin and add the ricotta. Mix the pumpkin and cheese together allowing the pumpkin to mash slightly but remain chunky.
4. Allow the filling to cool while you make the pastry.

Pastry

1. Attach your blade attachment to the large bowl of the Breville wiz pro.
2. Pour the flour into the base of the bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and add it to the flour. Pulse the mixture until it turns into a sandy crumb. Add the cream and process at a medium speed until a dough ball has formed in the mixing bowl.
3. Take the pastry out of the food processor, wrap it in plastic and put it into the fridge to chill for 20-30minutes.
4. Lightly dust your workbench with flour and roll the pastry out to sheets, ½ cm thick. Using a pumpkin (or a regular round shape) cutter cut out your shapes, remembering you need an even number for tops and bottoms. This recipe should give you 8-12 pies depending on the size of your cutter.
5. Place the bases onto lined baking trays, leaving a 1cm gap to allow them to expand a little. Place a mound of filling on to each base, leaving ½ cm rim of pastry around the pie to allow you to seal the lid to the base. Brush the rim with milk to help the pies to seal.
6. Use a knife or some other small triangle cutters to cut out the face of your pumpkin on the lids of your pies. Transfer the lids onto the the bases and pinch the sides together.
7. Whisk together an egg with a splash of milk. Brush the tops of the pies with the egg wash. Pop the pies into your preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden all over.
8. Serve warm.