Pumpkin Pasties

Remember last year when I went a bit Halloween mad and did a Harry Potter Butter Beer recipe? Well I've left it a bit last minute but I've gone Halloween mad this year too! I wasn't done at just an ethical Halloween shoot, nope I wanted a Halloween recipe too! And I'm a lover of a theme so I'm back with my second Harry Potter recipe, just really tryna win myself a place at Hogwarts with my cooking skills, hanging with the House Elves would be the dream!

"Anything from the trolley dears?" Pumpkin Pasties are a staple of Hogwarts life, they are sold by Honeyduke Express on the Hogwarts Express, so are a back to school treat. They make an appearance right at the start of the first book, when Harry buys the whole Honey Duke's trolley, to Ron's amazement, giving us our first glimpse at these pumpkinny delights. Then Cho Chang orders two in The Goblet of Fire, in what is now a viral sensation. We never get a full description of what Pumpkin Pasties taste like from J K Rowling, but there are clues. Honeyduke's Express is run by Honeyduke's sweetshop, so most of the items on the trolley are sweet, think chocolate frogs, and drooballs. But they also sell the daily prophet, so they clearly purchase items from other Wizarding vendors for the Hogwarts Express, so maybe the pumpkin pasties are on a savoury option sold for the longer train journey.

Basically I decided this called for a savoury and a sweet pumpkin pasty! Make whatever tickles your fancy, or make both and you've got not only dinner but desert sorted too!

I wanted my sweet version to be just like eating a pumpkin spiced latte, minus the coffee! So these are plenty sugary (watch out fellow diabetics) and delicious. I added white chocolate chips to mine, but these are totally optional. For the savoury version I added chickpeas, and spinach and some spice to create a curry like filling. Both were super tasty, I even got my mum eating them and she doesn't like pumpkin or squashes! If you want this recipe to be gluten free, simply sub the pastry for gluten free ready to roll pastry, and the flour to gluten free flour.

Come on what are you waiting for, serve these to your muggle mates and watch them marvel at your kitchen magic!

Makes 12 of each version of pasty

Ingredients

Savoury

For the filling

1/2 small-medium cooking pumpkin

1 tin chickpeas

50g spinach

1 teaspoon harrisa (optional)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon chilli flakes

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vegan bullion

1 teaspoon flour

1/4 cup cold water

2 rolls of ready to roll shortcust pastry

Plant based milk for washing pastry

Sweet

For the filling

1/2 pumpkin

3 cloves of garlic

6 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons cold water

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

a pinch of nutmeg

a pinch of cloves

a pinch of ginger

Vegan white chocolate chips (optional)

For the cinnamon sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 teaspoons light brown sugar

2 rolls of ready to roll shortcust pastry

Plant based milk for washing pastry

Savoury Method

1) Carve the pumpkin, removing the skin, into small squares.

2) Place the pumpkin onto a baking tray and then place into the oven to roast at 200'c for around 20-30 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft.

3) While the pumpkin is roasting thinly dice the garlic. Heat a small amount of oil in a large saucepan and fry the garlic for couple of minutes until soft.

4) Drain the chickpeas and add into the pan. Fry for a couple of minutes before adding the spices.

5) Once the pumpkin is roasted add it to the saucepan.

6) Mix the flour and water together to form a paste. Add to the pan along with the bullion.

7) Bring mixture to the boil and then reduce to simmer. Leave to reduce for around 15 minutes.

8) Take the mixture of the heat, and then stir in the spinach so it wilts.

9) Using a large circular cookie cutter to cut 6 circles out of each roll of pastry.

10) Spoon some of the savoury mixture into half of each circle of pastry. Fold the other half of pastry over the top, so you have semi circles. Push the pasty shut using a fork, and carve a lightening bolt into the top to allow steam out.

11) Wash the pasties with milk before placing onto a grease proof paper lined baking tray.

12) Place into the oven for around 25- 30 minutes, until they are golden brown and the pastry is hard.

Sweet Method

1) Carve the pumpkin, removing the skin, into small squares.

2) Place the pumpkin onto a baking tray and then place into the oven to roast at 200'c for around 20-30 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft.

3) Once roasted place the pumpkin into a large bowl, along with the milk, butter, spices, sugar and maple syrup.

4) Blend until smooth.

5) Place the mixture into a saucepan, over a low heat.

6) Mix the cornstarch and water together to form a paste, add the cornstarch to the pumpkin mixture.

7) Allow the pumpkin mixture to simmer for a couple of minutes, you want the filling to be fairly thick. If it's looking a little watery simmer it for longer, or add more cornstarch.

8)Using a large circular cookie cutter to cut 6 circles out of each roll of pastry.

9) Spoon some of the sweet mixture into half of each circle of pastry and add some white chocolate chips if you are using them. Fold the other half of pastry over the top, so you have semi circles. Push the pasty shut using a fork, and carve a lightening bolt into the top to allow steam out.

10) In a small bowl mix together sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar.

11) Wash the pasties with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, before placing onto a grease proof paper lined baking tray.

12) Place into the oven for around 25- 30 minutes, until they are golden brown and the pastry is hard.