Pumpkin drops

Full of pumpkin but you wouldn't know it.

Recipe adapted from Giallo Zafferano
time: 50 min preparation (40 min of baking pumpkin) + 20 min frying

ingredients

• 1 kg (2 lbs) pumpkin pulp (cut in chunky pieces)
• 150 g (3/4 cup) sugar
• 3 eggs
• grated zest from 2 large oranges
• 350 g (2 1/3 cups) regular flour OR:
• 100 g (2/3 cup) regular flour
• 200 g (1 2/3 cup) whole spelt flour

• 8 g (2 teaspoons) baking powder

oil for frying (about 2 cups)
powder sugar for finishing

instructions

1. Place pumpkin pieces in the hot oven (200C/400F) for 40 minutes. Remove, let them cool till room temperature and blend in a food processor together with sugar, eggs and zest. 
2. Place the mix into a large bowl and, using rubber spatula, fold in gently sifted flours and baking powder till just combined. 
3. On a medium skillet, heat oil on medium/high. Transfer the batter into a chef's sleeve, and squeeze about a tablespoon-size drip onto the hot oil. Fry about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer cooked pieces onto a paper towel.

notes

• very cool snack/dessert;
• only a subtle pumpkin taste; more intense orange flavor;
• it has a texture of a doughnut, hard to guess it's full of pumpkin;
• I cleaned the oranges with a strong brush before using the zest;
• I doubled pumpkin amount and only added a bit extra flour (to finish off the flour bag);
• using a chef's sleeve to drip the batter was a good idea; I tried first with two spoon and it just took longer;
• if the oil is too hot, they will cook too fast and be raw inside;
• drops are good hot or cool with tea of champagne.