Koloketes (pumpkin Pies)

--PUMPKIN FILLING

-- 3 c Diced butternut pumpkin

2 tb Pougouri (coarse burghul)

1 md Onion; chopped

1/4 c Peanut or corn oil

1/2 ts Ground cinnamon

1 pn Ground cloves

1 1/2 ts Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

---PASTRY

--- 4 c Plain flour

1 pn Salt

3/4 c Peanut or corn oil

1/2 c Cold water

3 ts Lemon juice

Beaten egg & milk for glaze Makes: 30 Oven temperature: 200 C (400 F) reducing to 180 C (350 F) Cooking time: 30 minutes Peel pumpkin, remove seeds and cut into 5 mm (1/4 inch) dice. Measure and place diced pumpkin into a bowl. Add remaining filling ingredients, stir to combine, cover and leave for 12 hours or overnight. Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl, add oil and rub in with fingertips until distributed evenly. Add water and lemon juice and mix to a firm dough. Knead lightly, cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes. Roll out dough thinly (about the thickness of a normal pie crust) and cut into 15 cm (6 inch) rounds. Take a round of pastry and moisten edges with a little water. Place a good tablespoonful of filling in centre, fold over and press edges to seal well. Flute edge with fingers or press with tines of fork. Place finished pies on lightly greased baking trays and glaze tops with an egg beaten with a little milk. Bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes, reduce to moderate and bake for further 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold. From: "The Complete Middle East Cookbook" by Tess Mallos ISBN: 1 86302 069 1 Typed for you by Karen Mintzias