This recipe comes from a Greek friend of mine. It is very easy to make and has a nice texture, different from the traditional American pie, but also as tasty.

Greek pumpkin tart

Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:

  • 1 package vegan puff pastry, thawed
  • 250-300 grams fresh pumpkin, grated
  • 100 grams raisins (preferably golden)
  • 2-3 tbs. sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 tsp.cloves, ground
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tbs. soy margarine

A selection of pumpkinsMaking Greek pumpkin tartMaking Greek pumpkin tart

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 250 C (482 F)
  2. I usually use butternut or a nice uchiki kuri pumpkin. It is available throughout most of the year. We can also get other kinds of pumpkin, usually cut as a big chunk. A good-sized wedge is usually about 250-300 grams.
  3. Grease a large, rimmed baking sheet with the margarine, or line it with baking parchment.
  4. Place 1 layer of puff pastry on the bottom. As an alternative one could use the flaky croissant dough.
  5. Dot small pieces of soy margarine on top of the dough at about 3-4 inch spaces.
  6. Slice the pumpkin in large pieces, de-seed and grate using the coarse grater. It should become a mass of about 2 cups or so.
  7. Add the sugar, spices and raisins.
  8. At last, sprinkle in the flour and mix well, as the pumpkin bakes, the juices will mix with the flour and it will become a consistent mass.
  9. Spread the pumpkins mixture evenly over the puff pastry.
  10. Place another layer of puff pastry over the pumpkin mass, as the top to a pie.
  11. The traditional bakers paint a thin layer of egg yoke or milk in the top of the dough to make a golden color, but I don’t as we are vegan. I really don’t feel anything is necessary over the top, however, if one wants to be fancy, you can lightly brush the dough with water and then sprinkle coarse sugar over the top (regular castor sugar not powdered). But I like to dust it with powdered sugar after it has baked, before serving.
  12. It is wise to take a sharp knife now, and cut the pieces (before you bake) as once the dough is baked it really flakes and crumbles when cut.
  13. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-30 minutes or until the dough is flaky and lightly browned.
  14. It is delicious warm, or also yummy the 2nd or 3rd day (if i lasts that long).