Pumpkin Pie Meets Pop Tart

In between my long run, coaching running club, tae kwan do, a soccer game and two birthday parties (phew!), I had two hours of free time. “Free” as in I had no responsibility other than hanging out at home with two of my kids.

I assure you, I had no intention of cooking during these two hours. After all, who in their right mind would cook anything after the cooking marathon we Jewish mamas just completed?

And then I saw The NY Times Magazine. It’s the food issue.

The food issue, my friends, is a red letter day in our house. Just the sight of it makes me want to raise happy, wholesome eaters and encourage others to do the same.

That’s how we ended up with pumpkin granola bars (stay tuned), homemade tortillas for lunch, homemade gnocchi for dinner and pumpkin pie tarts.

Don’t worry, we didn’t eat them all in one sitting.

PUMPKIN PIE TARTS (based on Toaster Pastries from Alana Chernila’s The Homemade Pantry)
1 Basic Pie Crust Recipe (I used the one from the above book, but you could use your own)
1 cup cold, unsalted butter (2 sticks)
2.25 cups whole wheat flour
2t apple cider vinegar
1/2t salt

Cut the butter into smaller squares and combine with the flour in a stand mixer or food processor. Place bowl in the freezer. Combine salt, vinegar and 1/3 cup water in a separate bowl and freeze for 10 minutes. Remove the flour and butter mixture and pulse until crumbly. Add the liquid and pulse more until a dough forms. Freeze the dough in two balls for 1 hour and up to 3 days.

Pumpkin Filling
1/2 can pumpkin
1/2t pumpkin pie spice
2T brown sugar

Mix the filling ingredients in a bowl.

1 beaten egg
powdered sugar

Remove the dough from the freezer. Roll the balls out into a flat rectangle on a lightly flowered surface. Using a knife, cut out six rectangles. Place a scoop of filling in half of the rectangles and cover them with a plain rectangle. Press the edges together with a fork. Coat each side of the pastries with a beaten egg and place on a greased baking sheet.