Pumpkin Empanaditas

Recipe taken from Josefina's Cookbook from the American Girls Collection

Pastry:

Mix:

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. sugar

Cut in:

6 T. chilled lard

Sprinkle on:

5 T. cold water

Mix together until the dough starts to form a ball, adding more water if necessary. Wrap in wax paper, and chill for an hour.

Filling:

Melt over low heat:

1 T. butter

Add:

1/2 c. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 c. canned or fresh pumpkin puree

Stir over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Let the filling cool at room temperature for a bit, then refrigerate until completely cold.

Egg Wash:

Whisk:

1 egg

Stir in:

1 T. water

Preheat over to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Divide the dough into two balls and wrap and refrigerate one. Roll out the other to 1/4 inch thickness. Use 4-inch round cookie cutter to make circles.

Brush around the edge of each with the egg wash. Put about one T. of the filling in the center of each circle. Fold the circle in half and press the edges together with your fingers. Dip the tip of a fork in flour and press down around the edge of the empanadita.

Place empanaditas one inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush the top of each empanadita with the egg wash and prick the center of each one with the fork.

Bake the empanaditas for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Sprinkle a little sugar on each when still hot. Cool. Gorge.