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Recipe Detail Page
Cypriot Pumpkin Pie
Autumn 2022
This new twist on pumpkin pie was inspired by bougatsa, a popular Greek Cypriot dessert and breakfast pastry. Semolina-pumpkin custard flavoured with orange blossom and cinnamon is nestled into a crispy, buttery phyllo crust. Finished with walnuts and warm orange blossom honey, it’s a showstopper of a dessert. Orange flower water is available at some cake decorating and bulk food shops, as well as Middle Eastern grocers.
Serves 8 to 10
PUMPKIN PURÉE
1 pie pumpkin (sugar pumpkin), about 3 1/2 lbs (1.59 kg)
2 tbsp (30 mL) pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) cinnamon
2 cups (500 mL) whole milk
2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (80 mL) semolina
2 tbsp (30 mL) orange blossom water
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
1/3 cup (80 mL) unsalted butter, melted
10 phyllo sheets, thawed
1/4 cup (60 mL) walnut pieces
1/3 cup (80 mL) orange blossom honey, warmed
1. To make pumpkin purée, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Trim each end of pumpkin. Cut into quarters and scoop out seeds. Place on baking sheet and drizzle evenly with maple syrup. Bake until pumpkin is soft, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Place pumpkin, with skin still on, in a blender. Purée until creamy, stopping to scrape down bowl, if necessary. Transfer to small bowl. Stir in cinnamon and set aside.
4. Heat milk in a medium saucepan until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside. In another medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add semolina and stir until lightly golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Whisk in hot milk. Continue whisking until it has thickened, 6 to 7 minutes. (If there are lumps, smooth them out with the back of a spoon and continue to whisk.)
5. Remove from heat and stir in orange blossom water and 2 cups (500 mL) pumpkin purée (save the rest in an airtight container for another use, refrigerated up to 1 week or frozen up to 6 months). Let cool 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla until fluffy, about 1 minute. Whisk egg mixture into semolina mixture until combined.
7. Place rack in centre of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
8. Brush bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan with melted butter. Lay phyllo sheets on clean, dry cutting board. Working quickly so phyllo won’t dry out, brush phyllo with butter. Place in pan so phyllo covers bottom of pan tightly and is overlapping sides of pan. Repeat with 9 more sheets, placing them at different angles so it’s roughly even.
9. Pour pumpkin filling inside phyllo and spread out evenly. Fold overlapping phyllo over outer edge of filling, crinkling it decoratively. Brush phyllo edges with remaining butter.
10. Bake until phyllo is golden and filling has set, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, carefully remove from pan and transfer to a serving dish. Cool to room temperature.
11. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add walnuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small plate. Cool slightly and roughly chop.
12. Sprinkle walnuts evenly over pie and drizzle with honey.
Serves 8 to 10
