When I first came to the States, I brought all my old South African recipes with me. All two of them (in the now rusted little recipe tin pictured below). Okay, I wasn’t big on cooking, too busy learning to change a nappy (diaper). But Pumpkin Fritters (pampoenkoeky in Afrikaans) is one of the recipes I did bring with me. Not because it was a favourite, although it’s delicious, but because it was easy. I definitely prefer it to Pumpkin Pie.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium cooked pumpkin to make 2 cups
• or 15 ozs canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder (not soda)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2-3 tsp granulated sugar depending on your taste
• 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• Canola oil for frying (your call, you don’t need that much)
• Cinnamon sugar (1 tsp cinnamon and 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar) for later

Method:

To cook pumpkin cut into cubes, and steam until tender then mash in a mixing bowl (I add a little butter), or use the canned pumpkin. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar, add to the pumpkin and mix together. Stir in the lightly beaten eggs until thoroughly combined. You should now have a batter that drops easily off a spoon, if not add a little flour, or if too stiff, a tiny amount of milk. Drop tablespoonfuls into hot oil, and brown until firm on the underside, then flip over and brown on the other side. Don’t crowd.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over the cooked fritters and serve immediately, preferably with some kind of meat dish. They’re actually good cold as well.