Pumpkin empanada recipe

While pumpkin pie may not be a particularly Mexican dish, pumpkin empanadas most certainly are, and are traditionally served at Christmas and in America, at Thanksgiving.
For the pastry:
At most Latin food stores you can find frozen empanada dough discs, which are more expensive but also more convenient. Making dough from scratch doesn't taste much different but is obviously more labor-intensive. You can also customize the ingredients by adding spices and herbs to compliment or contrast with the flavors of the filling.

For around twenty medium empanadas you'll need:

•     3 cups of all purpose flour
•     ¼ teaspoon of salt
•     6 oz of unsalted butter cut into 12 pieces, fresh out of the fridge
•     1 egg
•     4-5 tablespoons of water
•    1 egg, beaten with a little milk
•     1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•     1/4 cup granulated sugar

Method:
1.    Combine the flour and salt in a bowl or food processor.
2.    Add the butter, egg and water and mix until it forms into a single lump of dough. No especially vigorous kneading is required. 
3.    Roll into a ball and place in the fridge for about half-an-hour.
4.    Roll out the dough on a cutting board and cut out discs around a small plate or with an appropriately-sized cutter.
5.    They can be used immediately or refrigerated/frozen for later.
6.    Combine the ground cinnamon and sugar.

For the filling:
You'll need:

•     3 tablespoons butter
•     1 ½ cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar
•     1 ½ cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
•     1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
•     ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
•     Grated zest of half an orange

Method:
1.    In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar.
2.    Cook for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves.
3.    Stir in the pumpkin and spices.
4.    Cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes, until the pumpkin begins to stiffen.
5.    Remove from heat and add the orange zest.
6.    Allow the filling to cool completely before assembling the empanadas.

To make the empanadas:
1.    Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.    Spoon some filling into the middle of each pastry disc.
3.    Fold the dough in half over the top of the filling, forming a pocket. Squeeze as much air out as possible and glue the seal with the egg wash. Crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers for a traditional look.
4.    Glaze the crust with egg wash.
5.    Grease or line a baking tray with wax paper and arrange the sealed empanadas.
6.    Bake for fifteen to twenty minutes or until golden brown.
7.    Serve hot sprinkled with the cinnamon sugar.