Recipe: Pumpkin Walnut Phyllo Snails for Donna PA

Pumpkin Walnut Phyllo "Snails"
Yield: 20 Servings
Source: "The Food of Greece" by Vilma Liacouras Chantiles,

1 pumpkin (4 to 4 1/2 lbs.)
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 tb ground cinnamon
1 c chopped walnuts
1 lb commercial phyllo sheets
1/2 c olive oil or butter; melted

Cut the pumpkin in half, remove and discard the seeds, the peel using a sharp knife. Grate the pumpkin on the medium holes of a cheese grater (there should be approximately 4 cups of finely grated pumpkin). Taste for flavor, adding more sugar if desired. Start to roll the "snails". Lay the phyllo flat and deep, covered with a damp towel except when rolling. Brush one filo sheet lightly with the oil and fold in half lengthwise. Spread a row of filling (about 3 to 4 tablespoons) across the length of one end of the filo to within an inch of each edge. Roll up to seal the filling, forming a long tube. Then, beginning at one end, curl up tightly into a "snail-like" coil and set on a baking sheet. Continue until all the filling has been used, keeping the rolls covered with waxed paper or plastic to avoid drying. Brush the rolls with oil or butter and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until puffy and crisp. Serve warm or cold with poultry or game dishes.