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Tikvenik or Bulgarian Pumpkin Pastry
Servings 8 rolls
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. phyllo (filo/fillo/phylodough) defrosted
- 500 gr pumpkin canned (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 egg
- 125 gr white sugar
- 125 gr brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. cloves powder
- 1 pinch nutmeg to taste
- 2 tbsp grounded walnuts
- 250 gr chopped walnuts
- 3 tbsp raisins
- 100 gr butter
- powdered/ icing sugar
- vanilla to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180° C.
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Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
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Open the package of phyllo dough, gently unfold it on a dishtowel covered with waxed paper, and cover it with a lightly dampened dishtowel until ready to use—this keeps it from drying out.
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Melt the butter over low heat, taking care to keep it only warm, not hot.
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In another pot, mix the pumpkin, the sugar, cinnamon, clove powder and nutmeg with a tablespoon of melted butter and stir to combine. Heat the mixture until the sugar is melted and incorporated, and all is the consistency of a somewhat dry pumpkin pie filling; let it cool a bit, then mix the previously beaten egg in. At this point, stir in the walnut, the grounded walnuts and the raisins.
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Have the phyllo facing lengthwise away from you. Take the towel off the phyllo, take the first two sheets, and fold them up and away from you about 2 inches or so. Spread about 2 spoonfuls or so thinly across the phyllo–enough to cover the width of the phyllo you have folded, but leaving about a ½ inch border. Dip a spoon into the melted butter/oil and drizzle it across the phyllo sheets in front of the pumpkin. Gently take up the part with the pumpkin on it and roll it—like a jelly roll—just enough to enclose the pumpkin. Spread more filling thinly over the rest of the phyllo sheets (leaving a small border all around), drizzle more butter/oil, and roll up gently (not too tighto the end. Place on the cookie sheet, and cover with a damp towel.
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Repeat until all phyllo is used up. Brush finished pieces with melted butter/oil; bake 15-17 minutes until golden brown.
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Serve warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar and vanilla.
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Tip.: If your phyllo begins to come apart as you are rolling, you may brush it with some butter/oil and patch it with another piece of phyllo—just roll it around the previous piece! Consider the butter an “adhesive” in this case.
Recipe Notes
Tikvenik (or banitsa with pumpkin) is one of the most traditional sweet desserts in Bulgaria. It is also one of the dishes they have on Christmas Eve.
Based on a recipe and photography by Project food blog / 26th September 2010 by Jessica