Ingredients for Vegan Pumpkin Fatayer
Pumpkin filling
- 1 kg pumpkin
- 2 large onions
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp red pepper paste, optional
- 1 tsp black pepper
- A pinch of seven-spice
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Dough
- 3 cups whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 cup white flour
- 1 tsp brewer’s yeast with 1 tsp grape molasses or another sweetener and warm water, left to activate
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Water for kneading
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Fatayer
Prepare the dough
Mix the flours and salt, then add the activated yeast mixture and the oil.
Add 1 cup warm water and mix. Knead well for about 5–10 minutes until the dough comes together. Add more water little by little if needed. The dough should be cohesive, neither stiff nor overly soft.
Cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour to rise.
Prepare the pumpkin filling
Grate the pumpkin and drain off its water. Finely chop the onions and add them to the grated pumpkin, then add the tomato paste, red pepper paste, spices, olive oil and salt. Mix well.
Shape and bake
Roll out the dough and shape it however you like. Fill with the pumpkin mixture, place on an oiled baking tray, and bake with heat from below at 240°C. Once browned underneath, switch to upper heat and brown the tops. Remove the pies and cool them on a rack before storing them in a container. Serve warm with tea or salad.
Enjoy 🙂
Why Pumpkin Is Worth Putting in the Filling
Orange pumpkin is rich in carotenoids, especially beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A—a nutrient essential for vision, immunity and growth. NIH.
The evidence goes beyond a generic “pumpkin is healthy” claim. Large pooled prospective analyses have associated higher blood concentrations of several carotenoids, including beta-carotene, with lower breast-cancer risk. Pooled analysis.
So pumpkin adds real fiber, carotenoids and plant compounds to the meal. That whole-food package is more meaningful than claims built around isolated beta-carotene supplements, which have produced very different results.
Try our baked pumpkin kibbeh or pumpkin slices with onion and lemon. For another savory dough recipe, see our muhammara manakish.
