Greek Pumpkin Coils (Rodanchas de Kalvassa)

Mirj's Note:

This dessert takes some effort, but is worth it. I got it from The Cookbook of the Jews of Greece by Nicholas Stavroulakis

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup walnuts , finely ground
• 1 egg white , beaten (optional for glazing phyllo)
• 1 package prepared phyllo dough
• melted butter or melted olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook the puree with the sugar in the top of a double boiler until very thick.
2. Stir in cinnamon and walnuts.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Lay out 1 sheet of phyllo dough, brush lightly with melted butter or olive oil.
5. Cover with a second sheet of dough and brush lightly with butter or oil.
6. Using a pastry tube or other convenient technique, place a pencil-thin line of the pumpkin filling along the length of the phyllo dough sheet just inside the edge.
7. Fold the edge over to completely cover the pumpkin filling.
8. Continue rolling the phyllo dough into a long thin tube.
9. Brush lightly with butter or oil as you roll.
10. Take one end of the roll and coil up, taking care not to make the coil so tight that it breaks.
11. Arrange the coils so they are close together but not touching on an oiled baking sheet.
12. If desired, brush completed coil with egg white.
13. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until golden brown.