Frittelle di Zucca / Pumpkin Fritters

Serves 4:

• 700 g of cleaned pumpkin flesh (preferably Delica of a sweet dense flesh), cut into chunks of a similar size
• 80 g of plain flour
• 20 g of caster sugar
• 75 g of raisins
• 20 g of dark rum, brandy, grappa or armagnac for soaking the raisins
• 1.5  of a teaspoon of baking powder
• 3-4 pinches of cinnamon
• grated zest from half a lemon
• grated zest from half an orange
• a pinch of salt
• oil for deep frying, I use peanut oil which has a very mild neutral flavour
• some caster or icing sugar to finish

In a little bowl or a cup soak the raisins in the alcohol of your choice, giving them a stir every now and then.

Preheat the oven to 180 C / static.

Place the pumpkin chunks on a large baking tray lined with a sheet of baking parchment.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until puree soft.

Take the tray out the oven, wait for the pumpkin to cool down a little and turn it into a puree using a hand blender.

Sift the flour into a medium bowl, add the pumpkin puree, the sugar and the baking powder. Whisk or stir until smooth.

Season the pumpkin dough with a pinch of salt, add the cinnamon, citrus zest and the raisins (along with any juices). Give everything a good stir.

Heat up the oil in a medium saucepan to 170-180 C.

Once the oil is hot enough spoon generous teaspoons of the batter into the oil. Don’t overcrowd the saucepan too much.

Fry the frittelle on both sides until deep, almost dark golden in colour.

Lift the frittelle out using a slotted spoon and place them on a large plate laid with a sheet of a kitchen paper towel.

Serve whilst still warm dusted with more sugar if you wish.