Pumpkin and chickpea patties, tasty vegetarian croquettes, very simple to make, great both as a main course and as an appetizer, along with vegetables or cheeses. If you use gluten-free breadcrumbs, they will also be suitable for those who are intolerant, because they contain chickpea flour. I cooked them in an air fryer, so they turned out crunchy on the outside and soft inside, without excessive oil and in a short time. For convenience, I also cooked the pumpkin in the fryer, but you can bake or steam it if you prefer. Try these patties, they are super easy and really delicious!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economic
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 12 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 78.37 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 10.31 (g) of which sugars 2.05 (g)
- Proteins 4.14 (g)
- Fat 2.22 (g) of which saturated 0.46 (g)of which unsaturated 0.69 (g)
- Fibers 2.64 (g)
- Sodium 165.06 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 50 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 12 oz pumpkin
- 8 oz canned chickpeas
- 1 oz chickpea flour
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 clove garlic (to taste)
- breadcrumbs
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- herbs (sage, rosemary or others)
Tools
- Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Paper
- Blender
- Bowl
- Oil Sprayer
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can use the oven.
Preparation
Cut the pumpkin into slices and remove the seeds. Weigh the required 12 oz and place it in the fryer basket, with the special paper so you won’t dirty anything (1).
Cook at 375°F for about 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender.
Meanwhile, drain the chickpeas and blend them in a mixer with the garlic clove, until you get a puree. If necessary, you can add one or two tablespoons of water to facilitate the operation.
When the pumpkin is cooked, remove the skin, place the flesh in a bowl and mash it with a fork.
Add the chickpeas, a medium egg yolk, and the chickpea flour (2). Adjust with salt and pepper, add a handful of herbs to taste, and mix. If the mixture turns out too soft, add some breadcrumbs.
With your hands, form round or elongated patties like mine. Then roll them in the breadcrumbs.
Place the patties in the fryer basket and brush (or spray) them with very little oil.
Cook them at 400°F for about 14 minutes, turning them once or twice. Cooking times depend on your model of fryer and the size of the patties.
The pumpkin and chickpea patties are ready, crispy and golden… transfer them onto a platter and serve immediately.
Tips and Notes
Choose a variety of pumpkin with firm and dry flesh (in this case I used Delica), otherwise you will need to add bread to absorb the excess moisture.
You can cook the pumpkin in the fryer, oven or steam.
If you don’t have chickpea flour, replace it with flour or durum wheat semolina.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
If I don’t have an air fryer, how can I cook the patties?
You can bake them in a fan oven at 375°F for about 20 minutes until they are golden brown. Or you can cook them in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
