The pumpkin and polenta balls with a cheesy heart are perfect even for a buffet dinner, with just a few simple ingredients for a great result.
Small pumpkin balls and polenta with a very cheesy heart of scamorza cheese that can be picked up with your hands will make everyone happy.
After all, we know that during this period pumpkin is the star in many recipes, just think of the pumpkin soup, not to mention the pumpkin ravioli, perfect even for Christmas.
If you also love pumpkin and don’t want to always make the same pumpkin side dishes, today I leave you these pumpkin and polenta balls that will make even the kids at home happy.
Below I leave you more recipes of delicious vegetarian balls to try one at a time, and then let’s immediately discover after the photo how to prepare these delicious pumpkin and polenta balls!!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven, Steam
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for Pumpkin and Polenta Balls
- 12 oz pumpkin (already cleaned)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup instant polenta
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 2 pinches salt
- to taste black pepper (ground)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 pinch ground cumin
- 2 oz scamorza cheese (also smoked)
- as needed peanut oil (for frying)
Preparation of Pumpkin and Polenta Balls
Preparing Pumpkin and Polenta Balls is really simple. First, clean the pumpkin by removing the skin.
Remove the seeds and inner strands and cut it into chunks.
Place a pot with about 2 inches of water on the stove and insert the steamer basket.
Arrange the pumpkin pieces and cover with a lid.
Steam the pumpkin for 15-18 minutes, checking the degree of cooking, depending on how large the pieces are.
They will obviously cook faster if you cut them smaller.
Once the pumpkin is cooked, drain it and place it in a bowl, mash it with a fork, and add the instant polenta.
Mix quickly and let it cool down. This way, the polenta will hydrate properly.
When the pumpkin is at room temperature, add the eggs, season with salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin.
Mix well to let everything flavor.
Finally, add the grated cheese, incorporating it well with the other ingredients.
Dice the scamorza cheese and place the breadcrumbs in a deep plate.
Take a spoonful of the mixture, work it between your hands to compact the ball slightly larger than a walnut.
Slightly flatten it and place a couple of cubes of scamorza in the center, then close it by pressing lightly.
Roll the Pumpkin and Polenta Balls in the breadcrumbs and place them on a sheet of parchment paper or a cutting board.
Heat the frying oil in a wide, deep pan, and when it starts to sizzle, fry the pumpkin balls a few at a time for 5 minutes.
Turn them with a slotted spoon and let them brown on the other side.
Drain them on kitchen paper and serve them immediately.
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You can bake the balls in a preheated oven at 392°F, arranging them on a baking tray covered with parchment paper and drizzled with a little extra virgin oil.
Arrange the balls, drizzle with a little oil, and bake for 15 minutes, move the tray up and turn on the grill for another 5 minutes.
How to Store Pumpkin and Polenta Balls
You can also store them raw in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Other Recipes
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