Spanish cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Cordovan Pumpkin Pastry

Puff pastry cake from Córdoba with a stringy angel-hair pumpkin filling, baked crisp under sugar and cinnamon.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 2 rolls puff pastry (275 g each)
• 1 kg pumpkin
• 400 g sugar
• 1 lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp sugar for sprinkling
• 1 egg for brushing

Instructions

1. Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds, cut into large chunks and simmer in a little water for 25 min until soft, then drain very well and shred into strands with a fork — this becomes the classic angel hair.
2. Cook the pumpkin strands with the 400 g sugar, the juice and zest of the lemon and the cinnamon stick uncovered over medium heat for 25–30 min until a thick, glossy mass forms that leaves a trail when a spoon is drawn through it.
3. Remove the cinnamon stick and let the filling cool completely so it doesn't soak into the pastry.
4. Lay one sheet of puff pastry on a baking tray lined with parchment, spread the cold pumpkin filling evenly to within 2 cm of the edge, and moisten the border with water.
5. Lay the second sheet on top, press the edges firmly together with a fork, brush the surface with beaten egg, and sprinkle with the mix of 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.
6. Bake at 200°C top/bottom heat for 25–30 min until the surface is glossy caramel brown, then let cool and serve cut into squares.