Lately, the time I dedicate to cooking has significantly decreased. Some projects left on hold over the years have needed more attention, and like many others, I am looking for quicker and less demanding solutions! However, quick execution often means frequent consumption of pre-cooked foods which, due to their ingredients (sugars, salt, additives, preservatives), can eventually create a sort of dependency and cause health imbalances, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The fritters I propose today represent a valid compromise between the need to find some expedient to speed up the preparation of main meals, and the desire not to succumb to the allure of ready food! Here, all ingredients are worked in a bowl, including the pumpkin which will be added raw, simply by grating it. A good time saver, don’t you think? They can be cooked either in the pan in a matter of minutes, in an air fryer, or in a conventional oven. The result will be extraordinarily tasty, healthy, and genuine, thanks also to the addition of pea flour, which has higher nutritional values than a typical refined flour, and thus they will also be gluten-free! They will be perfect as a vegetarian main course to propose to the whole family or as a finger food appetizer to enjoy cold with an aperitif!
Source: [recipe by nutritionists Ludovica di Leo and Giorgia Zullo, Nutre e life, with my personal modifications]
If you, like me, love healthy and quick solutions, also try these rich and nutritious recipes:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 7 oz ricotta
- 7 oz pumpkin (raw net)
- 1/2 cup pea flour (or chickpea flour or type 00)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- to taste nutmeg
- 2 sprigs thyme
- to taste salt
- to taste white pepper
Tools
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, while costing you nothing extra!
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Terrine
- 1 Grater
- 1 Crepe Pan
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Paper Towels
Steps
In a large bowl, transfer the well-drained ricotta that has been deprived of its whey with the help of a sieve.
Add the egg, the stripped thyme, a pinch of salt, and a grind of pepper.
Add also the Parmesan and the nutmeg.
Mix the ricotta with a spoon until you get a smooth and homogeneous cream.
Separately, in a terrine, grate the raw pumpkin that has been deprived of its seeds and outer peel.
Add it to the ricotta cream along with the sifted pea flour.
Mix well.
Take a level spoonful of this mixture at a time, flatten it slightly, and cook it for about 2 minutes over low heat in a well-heated and previously oiled crepe pan or non-stick pan, removing the excess fat with a bit of paper towel.
After this time, with a nylon spatula, flip the fritters and continue cooking for another minute or until fully golden.
Serve them still hot as a vegetable main course with a mixed salad or lettuce salad, or cold as a finger food appetizer at a buffet dinner or lunch, accompanied by some tasty sauces.
And voila… the pumpkin and ricotta fritters are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉 Pumpkin and ricotta fritters can be stored in the fridge inside a container suitable for refrigeration, preferably glass, for up to 2-3 days. Just reheat them in a pan or microwave before enjoying.
Tips, Notes, Variations, and Suggestions
🟣 The fritters recipe can be made with any type of ricotta and pumpkin, I used sheep’s ricotta and the Butternut pumpkin with its typical pear shape. If you choose fresh ricotta, leave it in the fridge for at least 3 hours or better yet all night to lose most of the whey. As for the pasteurized ricottas from the dairy counter, evaluate on a case-by-case basis, but they are generally ready to use.
🟣 As a substitute for pea flour, you can use chickpea flour, in this way keeping the recipe always gluten-free, but if this is not necessary, you can opt for a normal type 00 flour or, for a version richer in fibers, even type 1 flour is fine.
🟣 If you don’t want to proceed with pan cooking, these pumpkin and ricotta fritters can be easily baked in a hot oven at 375°F for 25′, plus another 5′ once flipped; in an air fryer instead, with the help of 2 spoons, take portions of batter, create quenelles and place them directly inside the drawer with lightly oiled parchment paper, then cook at 350°F for about 8-10′ or until golden and crispy.
🟣CARROT VERSION DOSES: 8.8 oz ricotta, 2 carrots, 1/3 cup type 1 flour, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, to taste nutmeg, to taste herbs, salt and pepper.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can the pumpkin be substituted with other vegetables according to seasonality?
Certainly, for example, they can also be made all year round with carrots (see doses above) or in spring with white zucchini.
