Pumpkin Pastry (Moldovan Placinta cu Dovleac)

Moldovan Placinta cu dovleac is a beloved pastry made with shredded pumpkin. Placinta is basically a puff pastry that can be stuffed with all sorts of yummy things, like apples, cherries, cheese, etc. Many Moldovans can make the dough from scratch which is really an art form. I made ours using puff pastry dough to make it quick and easy to make. You of course can pick the filling you like but do try the pumpkin, it was lovely.

1 sheet puff pastry
1 small pumpkin, deseeded, peeled and grated just before filling the dough. You want the pumpkin as juicy as possible.
⅔ cup sugar
one egg, beaten
vanilla sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Roll out the pastry sheet and cut into 3 or four strips about 4½x9".

Grate the pumpkin and divide evenly on the dough strips. Sprinkle the pumpkin with sugar.

Brush the edges of the dough and bring the sides up over the pumpkin and secure the ends to create a tube. Make sure that all the edges are pinched together.

Brush the pastries with the beaten egg and put in the oven.

Cook for about an hour, checking to see when the pastry becomes a golden brown and the pumpkin is boiling at the sealing line.

Remove from the oven and cut each tube into four pieces and sprinkle with vanilla sugar.

Makes 16.