Grandma’s Pumpkin Jam and Almond Empanadas: A Fall Favorite

Empanadas o Empanadillas are a classic that transcends borders and cultures, uniting generations with their homemade and comforting flavour. In Spanish cuisine, these delights hold a special place, taking centre stage at impromptu snacks or family celebrations.

However, there's something magical about those recipes that carry a touch of nostalgia, like these empanadas filled with pumpkin and almond jam, which transport me directly to my grandmother Lucinda's kitchen.

She was a true expert at making the most of the seasonal fruits she harvested in her garden: apples, plums, apricots... Everything turned into exquisite jams that she then distributed among the family. During autumn, as Halloween approached, and we spent a few days at her house, my grandmother would use the pulp left over from the pumpkins my brother, my cousins, and I were carving, to make a homemade jam which she used to prepare these crispy and sweet empanadas.

As you can see, today I bring you a recipe full of affection and I think you'll love it too.

Are you up for making them?

Crispy Empanadas with Pumpkin and Almond Jam Filling Recipe

• Preparation time 60 min
• Cooking time 20 min
• Total time 1 hour 20 min

Ingredients

For the Dough (35 empanadas)

1. 650 grams / 5 ¼ cups of flour
2. 1 teaspoon of anise seeds
3. 1 orange peel
4. A cinnamon stick
5. 120 millilitres / 1/2 cup of olive oil 0.4
6. 120 millilitres / 1/2 cup of white wine (water optional)
7. 7 g / 1 tsp of fresh or dried yeast
8. 10 g / 1 1/2 tsp of salt
9. 1 egg
10. Sugar and ground cinnamon

For the pumpkin jam

1. 1 medium pumpkin (approximately 500 grams / 140 0z / 1,1 lb of pulp)
2. 200 grams / 7 oz / 1/2 lb of sugar
3. 1 Lemon peel
4. 1 Orange Peel
5. 1 cinnamon stick
6. Juice of half a lemon

1. 50 g / 1,7 oz / 0,1 lb of toasted and crushed almonds
2. 2 cups of water

Method

For the pumpkin jam

• Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds, and cut the pulp into small pieces.

• Add the pumpkin and two cups of water in a pot, or enough to cover half the height of the pumpkin pieces.
• Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Then, remove the little water left in the pot and add the orange and lemon peel, sugar, and cinnamon stick.
• Cook over medium heat for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Finally, add the lemon juice and cook for a couple of minutes. This will act as an antioxidant preserving the color and extending the life of the jam.

• When the pumpkin is well cooked and broken down, remove the lemon and orange peels, and the cinnamon stick. Lightly mash the jam if you prefer a finer texture, although you can leave some chunks to give it more body as I have done.
• Let the jam cool before adding the crushed almonds.

Preparation of the dough

• Heat the olive oil in a pan and add an orange peel and the anise seeds. Remove from heat when they start to brown and let it cool.
• In a large bowl, sift the flour. Add the powdered yeast, and salt, and mix well.
• Make a hole in the centre of the flour and add the flavoured oil (once cooled and strained), the beaten egg, and the white wine. Knead until all ingredients are well integrated.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for a few minutes until it's smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour but don't overdo it so it doesn't lose softness.
• Cover the dough with a clean cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature to set.

Assembling the Empanadas

• On a floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it's thin (about 2-3 mm thick). With a round cutter or a glass, cut circles about 10 cm in diameter.
• Place a teaspoon of pumpkin jam with almonds in the centre of each dough circle.
• Fold each circle of dough in half, forming a half-moon, and press the edges well with your fingers and then make small folds.
• You can also close them by pressing with a fork to seal well.

• You can fry the empanadas in plenty of hot oil until golden brown or, if you prefer a lighter version, bake them at 180°C for about 15-20 minutes, until golden and crispy.
• Once ready, and while still hot, pass the empanadas through the sugar and cinnamon mixture to give them that final sweet touch.

Serve the empanadas filled with pumpkin and almond jam hot or at room temperature. They are ideal to accompany with tea or coffee for breakfast, or as a delicious dessert on any occasion. Their crispy texture and smooth, sweet filling will make it impossible for anyone to resist this homemade recipe.

Additional tips:

• You can vary the filling by adding other nuts like walnuts or hazelnuts, or even a bit of chocolate for those with a sweet tooth.
• If you bake them, you can brush them with beaten eggs before putting them in the oven to give them a more intense golden colour.
• Store them for three or four days in the refrigerator in a container to prevent them from getting moist. Make sure to take them out before enjoying them at room temperature.

I hope you like it.

Have a tasty day!