Vegan Pumpkin Pasties from “Harry Potter”

Autumn has arrived, with crisp air, changing leaves and the return of seasonal favorites such as pumpkin spice, caramel, candy apples and hearty comfort food. October also brings the spooky time of year anticipated by many: Halloween.

We spoke with Catherine Barson Eastis, whose blog The Gluttonous Geek features recipes inspired by books, movies, games and other favorites of geek culture. In the spirit of Halloween, she shares inspiration from “Harry Potter,” whose fantasy characters feel most at home during this ghoulish season.

How did “Harry Potter” inspire your recipes?
My father was in the Army when I was growing up, and we lived in England when I was in preschool and kindergarten. Reading “Harry Potter” later on, I remember being a bit puzzled by the notion that pumpkin pasties were sweet when sweet pasties were not common in the [United Kingdom] and pumpkin pie as we know it was practically nonexistent.

So, with that, I started making savory takes on pumpkin pasties—like buttery chicken with pumpkin and pumpkin chicken tikka masala. I even made a vegan version using pumpkin and chickpeas. From there, I’ve made appetizers based on the Hogwarts founders and the parts of the UK they hail from—such as a Ravenclaw-inspired Scottish Cranachan and Hufflepuff-inspired “Cauldron Cakes,” based on Welsh Bara Brith.

Vegan Savory Pumpkin Pasties

Makes 2-3 dozen pies

Ingredients

Filling
3 shallots, minced
Handful of fresh thyme, stripped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Large sprig of fresh sage, finely chopped
1 cup strongly brewed English tea
2 teaspoons ground allspice or pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon molasses
1 15.5-ounce can of chickpeas, drained
1 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt

Crust
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups strongly brewed English tea
1 cup vegetable shortening
2 teaspoons table salt
½ cup water
1 tablespoon molasses
⅓ cup olive oil
Kosher salt

Instructions

Make the filling

1. Heat the skillet on the stovetop over a medium flame. Add the oil when hot, then the shallots, thyme, sage and rosemary when the oil slightly smokes. Season the shallots with a pinch or two of kosher salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Deglaze the skillet with a cup of tea and the apple cider vinegar. Then, scrape the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits. Bring to a simmer and let cook 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.
3. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the contents to the food processor. Add the chickpeas, pumpkin puree, spices and molasses, then process until smooth. Stir in kosher salt to taste and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Make the crust

1. Preheat oven to 325° F.
2. Whisk flour and table salt together in a large, heat-resistant bowl. Pour the remaining tea and shortening into the saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop. Turn on the tea kettle with more water to boil.
3. Stir the contents of the saucepan. When the mixture just comes to a boil, immediately pour it into the flour mixture. Blend with a spatula or wooden spoon until a dough forms. Add extra hot water from the kettle if the dough is too dry or add extra flour if too wet, until it’s workable enough to roll.

Make the pies

1. Pour a little of the boiling water into the baking dish and place the dough bowl into it to keep it warm.
2. Divide the dough into six portions. Take out a portion and cover the bowl. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface and cut circles with the 3-inch biscuit cutter. Gently roll each circle a little larger.
3. Drop a half tablespoon of pie filling onto half of each circle. Fold the pastry over the filling and press the edges together to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork. Then, place each finished pie on a parchment paper -lined baking sheet.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 until you run out of dough.
5. Dissolve the molasses and half cup of water in a separate [container] and glaze each pie with this molasses wash using a pastry brush. Lightly season the pies with a dusting of kosher salt and bake them in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.
6. Brush the pies with a layer of olive oil and dust again with kosher salt. Let them cool at least 5 minutes before handling.