Empanadas de Calabaza
(em-pah-NAH-dahs deh kah-lah-BAH-sah)
La Tamalada: The Sacred Rituals of Holiday Gatherings
To walk into a borderland panadería during the autumn is to be hit by the intoxicating smell of toasted cinnamon, dark sugar, and the licorice hum of anise. Generic recipes will tell you to dump canned pumpkin and pie spice into a crust, but that is not how a Tejano grandmother does it. The true soul of these empanadas relies on two non-negotiable secrets: hydrating the dough with a quick anise tea, and aggressively reducing the pumpkin into a dense, dark jam. It takes just minutes, but it is the difference between a sad imitation and a bite that tastes exactly like home.
Before you start
Stage the prep to save your weeknight.
The anise tea and the pumpkin reduction can both be made up to a week in advance and stored in the refrigerator, turning the actual assembly into a fast, manageable task.
Ingredients
- water1 cup
- star anise pods2 whole
- cinnamon stick1 large
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- dark brown sugar1 cup
- canned pumpkin puree15 oz
- ground cinnamon1 tsp
- ground cloves1/4 tsp
- all-purpose flour3 1/2 cup
- granulated sugar1/2 cup
- baking powder1 1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- vegetable shortening1 cup
- egg1 large
- granulated sugar1/2 cup
- ground cinnamon1 tsp
Method
- 01
Simmer the water, star anise, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan for five minutes.
Remove from the heat and let it steep while it cools completely to room temperature, then strain out the spices. You will need about a half cup of this heavily perfumed liquid to hydrate your dough.
- 02
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add the dark brown sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and cloves.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 15 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn't scorch. You are cooking out the water until it transforms from a pale puree into a dense, dark, sticky jam. Let it cool entirely; hot filling will melt the fat in your dough and ruin the pastry.
- 03
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl, then rub the room-temperature shortening in with your fingers.
Keep snapping and rubbing until the mixture resembles damp, coarse sand with no large lumps of fat remaining. This tactile step is how you guarantee a flaky, tender crust.
- 04
Gradually pour a half cup of the cooled anise tea into the flour mixture and knead gently until a cohesive dough forms.
If it feels dry, add another splash of tea. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes to relax the gluten, making it much easier to roll out.
- 05
Preheat your oven to 350°F and divide the rested dough into eighteen golf-ball-sized spheres.
Roll each ball into a thin circle about an eighth of an inch thick. Place a generous spoonful of the cooled pumpkin jam in the center, wet the edges of the dough slightly, fold into a half-moon, and crimp tightly with a fork to seal.
- 06
Brush the empanadas lightly with the beaten egg and bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
While they bake, mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Let the empanadas cool for just five minutes on the tray, then toss them gently in the cinnamon-sugar while they are still warm so it sticks perfectly.
Notes
Never place hot filling onto raw dough.
If the pumpkin jam has not cooled completely, the heat will instantly melt the vegetable shortening in your masa, destroying the flaky layers and turning your empanadas into a soggy mess.
From Cook Tex-Mex.