Ingredients
FILLING
2 apples, grated
1 ½ cups grated pumpkin
⅓ cup honey
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup walnuts/macadamias/cashews/pistachios etc, roughly chopped
½ cup sultanas, optional
¼ cup breadcrumbs
2 tbs brown sugar
8 sheets phyllo pastry, defrosted in the refrigerator and left at room temperature for 30 minutes
clarified butter (ghee) or olive oil for brushing
FOR THE SWEET SYRUP
150g sugar
½ cup water
2 tbs citrus juice
pinch of citrus zest, rose water or orange blossom water
Summary
A beautiful sweet treat to help you use up autumn produce, this recipe is perfect for afternoon tea with friends. Raid your pantry and see what nuts and seeds you have on hand – this is the perfect opportunity to use up the last little bit in the bottom of a jar or container.
Huge thanks to Alanna and the team at Open Table for making this with us all in our latest online cooking workshop. We’re having so much fun sharing tips on reducing food waste, learning all kinds of kitchen hacks and of course making delicious things together.
Sweet pumpkin and apple phyllo
Preheat the oven to 170C.
Combine the grated apple, pumpkin, honey, cinnamon and 1-2 tbs water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the honey and then cook until the pumpkin has softened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix through the nuts, breadcrumbs, brown sugar and sultanas.
Remove the phyllo and gently lay out on the bench top, covering with a damp tea towel to prevent the thin pastry from drying out. Brush 1 sheet with the butter/olive oil, before placing another sheet on top. Brush the second sheet with more butter.
Place a quarter of the filling along the bottom long edge of the pastry, and then begin to carefully roll the pastry from the bottom up away from you, until the filling is completely wrapped with pastry, brushing the edges with butter as you go.
Gently roll into a spiral, or place the long roll onto a baking paper lined oven tray. Brush with more butter. If making a long roll, then gently slice each roll into 8 pieces but keep the roll together.
Bake for 30-40 minutes.
While baking combine the sugar, water and juice in a saucepan and medium low heat. Dissolve the sugar and stir, simmering for about 5-10 minutes until it thickens. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, adding the other ingredients. Pour the syrup over the cooked pastry and sprinkle over extra cinnamon if desired.
Hints and Tips
- Store in an air-tight container for up to 7 days.
- Can be frozen before being cooked in the oven. Freeze on a tray before wrapping individually to prevent the pastry sticking together.
- Save your leftover bits of pumpkin by finely slicing or grating and keep in the freezer until you are ready to make this recipe.
