::Pumpkin Cheese Tartlets::

LAST FALL I ROASTED ONE WHOLE PUMPKIN, SCRAPED OUT IT'S FLESH AND FROZE BAGS OF IT. I HAVE BEEN MAKING DELICIOUS DESSERTS OUT OF IT ALL SUMMER LONG... THESE WERE DELICIOUS, EVEN THOUGH I FAILED MISERABLY TO PRODUCE A CRUMBLY PASTRY. A SKILL I HAVE YET TO MASTER.
{Recipe found via Food & Drink}

Pastry
1¼ cups (300 mL) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
¼ cup (50 mL) cold butter
2 tbsp (25 mL) cold lard or vegetable shortening
½ tsp (2 mL) lemon juice
2 to 3 tbsp (25 to 45 mL) cold water

Butter Pecan Topping
½ cup (125 mL) pecans, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter, melted
2 tbsp (25 mL) granulated sugar

Filling
½ cup (125 mL) thick puréed pure pumpkin
2/3 cup (150 mL) ricotta cheese
1/3 cup (75 mL) granulated sugar
1 egg
½ tsp (2 mL) finely grated orange zest
1 tsp (5 mL) grated fresh ginger, or ½ tsp (2 mL) dried ground
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground mace or nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves or allspice

1. To make pastry, combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter and lard until pieces are about the size of small peas. Stir lemon juice into 2 tbsp (25 mL) water; stir into flour mixture. Start to press together to form a dough, adding remaining water as needed for increased moisture. Press dough into a flattened disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes or up to half a day.

2. For topping, stir chopped pecans with melted butter until coated; stir in 2 tbsp (25 mL) sugar. Set aside. For pastry shells, use 2 nonstick mini-muffin pans with 12 cups each (if pans are not nonstick, coat cups with baking spray). Roll out pastry on floured pastry cloth until thinner than usual for pie crust, about 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick. Use a 2½-inch (6-cm) cookie cutter (or upturned glass) to cut into rounds. Press into cups, forcing dough slightly above cup edge. Use scraps to fill in any breaks or thin parts. Freeze 10 minutes.

3. Arrange rack just below oven centre; preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC).

4. To make filling, combine pumpkin, cheese, 1/3 cup (75 mL) sugar, egg, zest and spices in a blender or food processor. Whirl until smooth, stopping and scraping sides as needed. Divide filling among frozen pastry-lined cups, heaping slightly in the centre of each. Sprinkle with topping. Bake 15 minutes (dark pans) to 20 minutes (light pans) or until filling is raised and cooked. Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes; then remove tartlets from pan to finish cooling on the rack. Tartlets are best the day they are baked, and can also be covered and frozen (warm frozen tartlets briefly in a moderate oven before serving).

Makes 2 dozen