So yes, I know that it’s not exactly pumpkin time right now. However, I had a few cans of pumpkin puree sitting quietly in my kitchen and I thought this was a good time to get my hands on them!

 

 

“Börek” is the general name of salty pastries, mostly made with phyllo (but can be made with other types of dough as well, like puff pastry) and has a filling. In this version, we are going to make a rich, soft filling.

 

 

 

My pumpkin puree was store bought but you can also make your own pumpkin puree in pumpkin season. If you make your own puree, make sure to drain if it is too watery, because the last thing you need in a phyllo börek like this is too watery filling.

 

 

In Helsinki, you can find canned pumpkin puree in K-market in Kamppi, in canned food section. There used to be a few other places selling it, but at the moment, this is the only place that I know for sure has canned pumpkin. I also saw it a few times in K-market in Postitalo in the city center.

 

 

In the steps for this recipe, I didn’t include the photo and explanation of many steps because it is the same steps as in my spinach börek recipe here, with only the filling as different. So you will be able to follow the rest of the recipe from there.

 

Enjoy your new recipe, enjoy spring!
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Ingredients:

 

Difficulty: Medium
(makes about 24 slices with 25x35cm oven dish)

 

Printable PDF-recipe (no photos)

 

2 tbsp olive oil
3 medium onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
2.5 dl (or 1 cup) dry white wine
4 eggs
3 cans pumpkin puree (each about 425 gr.)
2 packages (200 gr. each) halloumi cheese, grated
2.5 dl (or 1 cup) cottage cheese (In Finnish: raejuusto), drained if it is too watery
a large handful of fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

 

1 package of phyllo sheets (15 sheets)
a liquid mixture to moisten the sheets, see it in spinach börek recipe here

 

 

 

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1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease a 25x35cm oven dish. Prepare the mixture to moisten the phyllo layers (steps 2 & 3 here).

 

2. In a pan, put olive oil and heat for about 20 seconds. Add onions and sauté for about 3 minutes, frequently stirring, until they get softer.

 

 

 

 

3. Add ingredients from garlic to salt in the list above and continue cooking for 1 more minute while stirring.

 

 

 

4. Add dry white wine, stir and let it cook for about 10 more minutes, until most of the liquid is gone and onions are well cooked, by stirring occasionally. Take away from the heat when ready.

 

 

 

5. In a large bowl, put the eggs whisk them a little.

 

 

6. Add pumpkin puree and whisk to combine with eggs.

 

 

 

7. Add cooked onions and continue whisking.

 

 

 

8. Add halloumi and cottage cheeses and whisk (or fold using a spatula, as I found it easier).

 

 

 

 

9. Add fresh mint and whisk or fold to combine everything evenly.

 

 

 

10. Follow the steps from 5 to 13 in the spinach börek recipe by just replacing the spinach filling with pumpkin filling we have here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. Finalise the börek by putting 8 mini cubes of butter on top. Put in the oven, in medium rack and bake for 20 minutes, then transfer to the top rack and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, until it gets browned on the surface. When ready, take out of the oven and let it cool for about 20 minutes before taking out of the dish. After it is out of the dish, let it cool on a wire rack for 30 more minutes at least, before slicing. Enjoy it as a main dish with light salad or enjoy it with tea or coffee in the breakfast / as afternoon snack.