Just a little crazy...

So one of the things that has brought me to the Asylum is my Harry Potter love.  Yep, Harry Potter.  I have an amazing cookbook called the Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook by Dinah Bucholz.  I am sure there will be other recipes but today's recipe was tried on my Asylum and even sent to the neighbors.  We all agreed they were pretty great!

So whip up a batch of these and close your eyes,  pretend to hear the lady on the train calling "Treats from the Trolley!  Anything from the Trolley Dear?"  You can say "Pumpkin Pasty, please"!  I believe our doctors here at the Asylum would call that a Delusional Disorder...

Don't be afraid of the dough!  Some people shy away from recipes because they don't think they can make dough.  This is the easiest dough recipe I have ever made and really adds to the taste!  If you see a recipe that is long and lets face it you think "man that is a lot of words" do you pass it up?  DON'T!!  You may be missing out and the recipe may actually be very simple.  Just take it step by step and we are here to help!

Pumpkin Pasties

 

Pasty Crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 TBSP granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

5 TBSP butter, cut into chunks

3TBSP vegetable shortening,

      chilled and cut into chunks

4-6 TBSP ice water

 

Filling

1 cup pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

 

1. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor (I used my stand mixer and the dough paddle).  Pulse a few times to combine. Scatter the butter and shortening over the flour mixture.  Pulse about 15 times until the mixture resembles coarse yellow meal, with no white powdery bits remaining.

 

2. Transfer the mixture into a large mixing bowl (see if you used your stand mixer you're already there).  Sprinkle 4 TBSP of cold water over the mixture.  Toss the mixture together with a spatula until it starts clumping together.  If it's too dry, add more water 1 TBSP at a time (better too wet than too dry).  Gather the dough in a ball and pat it into a disk.  Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour.

 

3. Combine the pumpkin, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon (or cinnnnaminnnoonnoonnn as we call it) in a mixing bowl.  Mix well.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  Roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick.  Use a saucer to cut out 6-inch circles.

 

4.  Put 2-3 TBSP of filling in the center of each circle of dough.  Moisten the edges with water, fold the dough over the filling, and crimp with a fork to seal the edges. Cut slits to make vents.  Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 30 min or until browned.

 

Adaption: I used a sandwich press.  It is made to cut and crimp through two pieces of bread and a filling.  I also doubled the batch.  My press is only 3 inches wide, so  I cut 9 circles, put filling in the middle and then cut 9 more circles to cover the filling.  Then I used the press to crimp the edges-I did have to go back with a fork to crimp what was missed.  I did have some filling left over, so if you go with smaller sized dough circles you may only need 1 batch of the filling.

 

So go ahead, I dare you, I double dog dare you to put on your House Colors (I belong to Ravenclaw) and have a pumpkin pasty and pretend you are sitting in your common room next to the fireplace! You know you want to!  Don't worry we can "help" you with that Delusional Disorder!