Glenn: Southern Americans know all about fritters, but most people in the North haven’t caught on to these crispy little treats.
Jorge: We’re not sure who had them first. Our Southern friends have told us that fritters, especially corn fritters, have been popular in the South since before the Civil War.
Raúl: Cubans eat a lot of fritters. We love them!
Jorge: This recipe will actually taste familiar to most Anglos; it combines the familiar flavors of pumpkin pie and the spices that make it sing.
Glenn: And there’s nothing quite like a singing pie.
Frituras de Calabaza -- Pumpkin Fritters
By
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 24 fritters (approximate)
Sweet pumpkin pie-like flavor in a crispy fried dough that makes a great appetizer or dessert. Add a scoop of ice cream if you dare.
31/2 cups calabaza, cubed to make 2 cups of cooked and mashed calabaza (or substitute canned pumpkin, see below)
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups flour
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
vegetable oil for frying
powdered sugar for dusting
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered until the calabaza is very tender -- approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
Drain all of the water from the calabaza. Use a potato masher to mash the calabaza.
Use an electric mixer to cream the butter with the sugar, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Mix in 2 cups of the mashed calabaza into this mixture by hand. NOTE: If you can’t get calabaza, you can use 2 cups of canned pumpkin.
Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Beat the flour mixture into the egg/calabaza mixture by hand.
In a large pan or deep fat fryer, heat enough oil to cover the frituras completely until very hot, approximately 325 to 350 degrees F.
Drop the fritura mixture into the hot oil by tablespoons. Fry approximately 2 to 3 minutes, flipping occasionally until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.
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