Skip to main content
Epicurious

Pumpkin Kolokithopita (Greek Phyllo Pastries)

1.8

(2)

Filo pastry triangles on a marble surface
Photo by Dayna Smith

Because we grew up in a Greek household, phyllo dough was always a staple in our kitchen. Babee used to make her own from scratch, spending hours and hours rolling her dough with a rolling pin to get it very thin. Now you can buy great phyllo dough at the supermarket, and it’s one of the rare instances where we think it’s okay to use a frozen dough. Babee often filled her phyllo pastry with feta cheese or spinach, or walnuts and cinnamon, but pumpkin was one of our favorites, and she typically made it in the fall. This recipe is a perfect sweet and savory appetizer for your Thanksgiving feast.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes about 36 triangles

Ingredients

3 lbs. baked and puréed pumpkin (fresh or canned)
1 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
20 sheets phyllo dough
1 cup unsalted butter, melted

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking sheet with butter.

    Step 2

    Mix together pumpkin, honey, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

    Step 3

    Cut phyllo dough into vertical strips about 2 inches wide, and cover the pile of phyllo strips with a clean, damp tea towel.

    Step 4

    Lay one phyllo strip flat on a workspace in front of you. Using a pastry brush, brush the surface of the phyllo dough with an even coat of melted butter. Place a tablespoon of the pumpkin filling at the end of the phyllo strip. Starting at the end with the pumpkin filling, fold the phyllo dough over as you would a flag until the phyllo is the shape of a triangle. Place on baking sheet.

    Step 5

    Repeat until all of the pumpkin filling is used up.

    Step 6

    Bake for 30 minutes or until the tops of the triangles are golden brown.

Image may contain: Human, Person, and People
From Sweet Celebrations: Our Favorite Cupcake Recipes, Memories, and Decorating Secrets That Add Sparkle to Any Occasion © 2012 by Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne. Reprinted with permission by HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.
TagsPastriesGreekEuropeanPhyllo DoughPumpkinSquashVegetableStarterDinnerNut FreeEasyThanksgivingCookbooksHarper Collins

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Halloumi Lasagna
In this lasagna, soft layers of pasta and béchamel are interspersed with a rich tomato sauce laden with hearty Mediterranean vegetables.
Saffron Madeleines
You can enjoy these madeleines with just powdered sugar—or decorate them with a colorful white chocolate shell.
Heavenly Halva Cake
Serve a thick slice for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.
Nankhatai (Semolina Shortbread)
These cookies are gently sweetened and perfect with a cup of tea.
Sfouf (Semolina Turmeric Cake)
Semolina flour and turmeric give this simple cake a sunny hue and nutty flavor.
Almost Cannoli Galettes
Cannoli and sfogliatelle require complex technique—making them is best left to the professionals. But a galette-inspired variation? That’s a snap to do at home.
Jammy Grape Galette
We don’t bake with grapes as often as we should. But even the most average supermarket varieties come alive when roasted with a bit of sugar and seasoning.
Brussels Sprouts Latkes
Who says latkes have to be potato? Brussels bring a delicious cruciferousness.