Tikvenik
A Bulgarian pumpkin banitsa - phyllo sheets rolled around a sweet, cinnamon-spiced grated pumpkin and walnut filling, coiled into a spiral, and baked until golden - grating the raw pumpkin instead of using canned puree is what keeps the filling from turning watery and soggy inside the phyllo.
⏱ 80 min🍽 8 servings
dessertbakingvegetarian
Ingredients
- •2 lb pumpkin, peeled and coarsely grated
- •3/4 cup sugar
- •1 tbsp cinnamon
- •1 cup walnuts, chopped
- •1 lb phyllo dough
- •1 cup melted butter
- •Powdered sugar, for dusting
Steps
- 1.Toss the grated pumpkin with the sugar and set aside for 15 minutes to draw out some of its liquid, then squeeze out and discard the excess liquid firmly - skipping this step is what makes the filling turn watery and soggy inside the phyllo.
- 2.Stir the cinnamon and chopped walnuts into the drained pumpkin.
- 3.Lay out a sheet of phyllo, brush with melted butter, top with a second sheet, and spread a thin line of the pumpkin filling along one edge.
- 4.Roll the phyllo up around the filling into a long rope, then coil it into a spiral in a buttered round baking pan. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling, coiling each new rope around the last to build one large spiral.
- 5.Brush the top generously with the remaining melted butter.
- 6.Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes, until deep golden brown and crisp.
- 7.Let cool slightly, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm or at room temperature.