Sweet Pumpkin Phyllo Pie Dessert (The 5 Days Before Christmas)

December 24, 2023 Leave a Comment

The 5 Days Before Christmas Greek Recipes

Recipe #4

Sweet Pumpkin Phyllo Pie Recipe

This phyllo pie is not so famous quite yet in the States, but rather famous in Greece. Kolokithopita or pumpkin pie is so good. Can be made sweet or savory and most recipes use grated pumpkin but we pureed our pumpkin. It is up to you what avenue you want to take with the pumpkin but I love roasting it. If you have the time roast the pumpkin, if you don’t purchase ready-made pumpkin puree. Now please keep in mind we used delica winter squash, which falls under the same family as pumpkin.

Notes:

You can add in nuts of your choice. Make sure to toast the nuts before adding to the phyllo.
You can use ready-made pumpkin puree if you like.
Add in maple syrup, honey, or agave if you don’t want to use sugar.
Roasting the squash will give you the ultimate flavor
Clarifying your butter is the best way to go.
You can make cigar-shaped or square-shaped phyllo pie
Divide the phyllo in half. Half for the bottom and half for the top.

Sweet Pumpkin Phyllo Pie Dessert Recipe

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

1 large delica winter squash or 2 cups of pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons of organic sugar for roasting the squash
1/2 cup of brown sugar
3 teaspoons of cinnamon powder
1/2 a vanilla bean (reserve the pods)
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 tablespoon of Metaxa liquor
A pinch of salt
1 package of phyllo dough
2 sticks of butter melted
Powdered sugar and cinnamon powder for dusting

Method:

Prepare the squash. Place oven temp at 350 degrees. Rinse and then pat dry and cut in half gently over a large cutting board. Place squash halves over parchment paper. Sprinkle sugar over the squash and bake for about 1 hour or until the squash is fork-tender. (You do not need to follow this step if you are using premade pumpkin puree.)
While the squash is baking prepare the rest of the ingredients. In a medium bowl mix the sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, and salt. Mix to combine and set aside.
Remove the squash from the oven and cool down. Once the squash has cooled gently scoop out the filling. Place squash filling inside a blender to mix. Don’t overmix you just want to blend to make it a thick puree. In a large bowl combine the puree and add the spice mixture. Mix to combine and set aside.
Prepare the phyllo dough. Make sure you melt the butter and in notes, I say to use clarified butter which is best. In a large 9 x 13 baking pan, brush melted butter over the bottom. Then add one sheet of phyllo and then brush with butter. Repeat until all the bottom phyllo layers are ready. Then add the pumpkin puree over the top making sure to cover the entire phyllo. Even out the filling with an icing spatula, and then use the rest of the phyllo sheets over the top. Once you brush the final sheet of phyllo dough, score the top. We scored it with 1 cut in the middle and then 1 cut across. Then in the squares, we cut in two. See the photos below.
Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown over the top. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cooled down serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon powder. If you want to serve it warm, add vanilla ice cream to the mix. 🙂