Tikvenik (Тиквеник) | A Pumpkin Pie From Bulgaria | Halloween Special

feta cheese

🥗Healthier: ricotta

💰Cheaper: cottage cheese

Ricotta offers a lighter texture while cottage cheese is more economical.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier and adds a distinct flavor.

Peel a large butternut squash by separating it into two shapes and slicing the skin off along the length.

Scoop out the seeds from the round part of the squash with a spoon.

Grate the squash into a big pan.

Melt 100 grams of butter in the pan until bubbling.

Add the grated squash to the melted butter.

Add 100 grams of custard sugar, 100 grams of packed brown sugar, a heaping tablespoon of cinnamon, a big pinch of ground ginger, a big pinch of ground clove, and freshly grated nutmeg to the squash.

Mix everything in and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until most of the water evaporates and it becomes sticky and jammy.

Roast walnuts by pouring them onto a tray, spritzing with water, seasoning with salt, and spreading them out in a single layer.

Roast the walnuts in the oven at 120 degrees Celsius for half an hour, mixing them after 15-20 minutes.

Roughly chop the roasted walnuts and add them to the pumpkin mixture, ensuring they are evenly distributed.

Brush a baking tray with melted butter or oil.

Roll out phyllo dough onto the board and brush it with melted butter from end to end.

Place dollops of the pumpkin filling on the phyllo dough, leaving space in between.

Gently and loosely roll the phyllo dough from one end.

Transfer the rolled phyllo into the baking tray, arranging it in concentric circles or a spiral.

Continue rolling up the rest of the filling in the same way until the tray is filled.

Brush the top with melted butter, spray with water, and sprinkle with wet sugar to prevent burning.

Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30-40 minutes depending on your oven, on one of the lower racks.

Once slightly cooled, dust with icing sugar before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens