Ingredients
Units
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (or 1 small butternut/pumpkin, peeled and diced)
- 1 cup flour +2 Tbsp (135g)
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 50g parmesan, plus more for dusting
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp sea salt or a generous pinch of table salt
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- If you don’t have pumpkin puree, start by steaming the diced pumpkin until it’s soft and can be easily mashed with a fork. Then, puree the steamed pumpkin until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, flour, milk, grated parmesan, nutmeg, baking powder, chilli flakes (if using), egg, and salt. Mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated. The batter should be moist, thick, and just hold its shape when scooped with a spoon but not as thick as playdough. Add a small touch of flour to achieve the consistency if your pumpkin puree was quite wet (1-2 Tbsp max)
- Heat oil in a high sided saucepan to 170°C (340°F). The oil should be about 10cm deep, and only fill half of your saucepan, leaving room for the oil to bubble. You can test if the oil is ready by dropping a small amount of batter into the oil; if it sizzles and rises to the surface, the oil is hot enough.
- While the oil heats, prepare a tray lined with kitchen towel to drain the pumpkin fritters.
- Use two teaspoons to shape the fritters into rough balls, then hold the batter in one spoon, and use the other to slide the batter into the oil. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry a few at a time to keep the oil at an even temperature.
- Fry the fritters until they are golden brown on the outside and cooked through, which should take about 2-3 minutes on each side. If they are still doughy in the middle, the oil may be too hot, so lower the temperature slightly.
- Remove the fritters from the oil and place them on the prepared tray to drain any excess oil. They should be light, fluffy, and cooked through.
- Pile the pumpkin fritters onto a plate and grate more parmesan over them for that extra savoury kick. Enjoy this delightful South African-inspired snack!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: South African