Pumpkin-Shaped Sweet Potato and Black Bean Pasties

Pastry

• 300 g Plain flour
• 150 g Unsalted butter, cold
• 1 tsp Fine sea salt
• 80 ml Water, cold

Filling and glaze

• 300 g Sweet potato
• 15 ml Olive oil
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika
• 160 g Canned black beans, drained weight
• 1 small Lime
• 1 medium Egg

1. Reserve 20 g flour for rolling and 0.5 teaspoon salt for the filling. Rub the cold butter into the remaining 280 g flour and salt, add the cold water and bring together without kneading; flatten, cover and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Peel the sweet potato, cut into 1 cm cubes and toss with the oil, cumin, paprika and reserved salt; roast for 25 minutes until tender, turning once.
3. Drain and rinse the beans, then lightly crush them with the roasted sweet potato. Wash the lime, finely grate its zest and squeeze 2 teaspoons juice, then mix the zest and measured juice into the filling. Spread on a plate and cool for 20 minutes.
4. Roll the pastry on the reserved flour to 3 mm thick and cut 16 rounds about 10 cm wide, rerolling scraps. Pinch a small stem at the top of each round; cut small triangular eyes and a mouth in 8 rounds, keeping the other 8 intact.
5. Divide the cold filling between the intact rounds, leaving a 1 cm border. Beat the egg, brush the borders, cover with the face rounds and crimp firmly with a fork; brush the tops with the remaining egg and score shallow pumpkin curves.
6. Bake on a lined tray for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is golden underneath and the filling is piping hot. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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