Pumpkin pancakes can be sweet or spicy and are made with mashed, grated, or pureed pumpkin, flour, baking powder, eggs, and spices. They are fried in hot oil and served with syrup or dipping sauce. Fresh squash is recommended, and excess water should be removed before mixing. Yeast-based versions require rising before frying. Best served immediately.
Pumpkin fritters are pieces of pumpkin combined with toppings in a batter and then fried. A version called Peruvian picarones creates a more dough-like batter and shapes the pancakes into rings before frying. Pumpkin pancakes can be sweet or spicy and are often served with syrup or dipping sauce.
Mashed, grated, or pureed pumpkin is normally used for pumpkin pancakes. While canned squash can be used, fresh squash is often suggested. When fresh squash is used, it is usually grated and then can be sprinkled with salt and allowed to sit. This step removes excess water from the squash and helps avoid runny pancakes. The additional water can be squeezed out of the squash before mixing it with the other ingredients.
Besides pumpkin, flour, baking powder, eggs and spices are normally included in pumpkin pancakes. Your spice choices determine whether the pancake will be sweet or tangy. Cinnamon, cloves and sugar can be included for sweet pancakes, while curry, coriander, black pepper and jalapeños can be used for spicy versions. Some versions may also include nuts, raisins, milk or orange peel. Doughier versions will add yeast.
To make yeast-free pumpkin pancakes, the chosen ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. The resulting batter is then dropped, usually by spoonful, into hot oil and deep fried. Yeast-based pancakes require first dissolving the yeast in warm water, then combining flour, baking powder, and sugar if using. Once those ingredients are mixed, the rest can be added and a dough is formed. The dough is covered and allowed to rise before it can be shaped into rings or balls and fried.
Vegetable, canola or sunflower oil are all options for frying squash pancakes. Olive oil is not normally suggested because it has a distinct flavor which can affect the flavor of the finished product. For frying, the oil should be extremely hot before the batter is placed in the pot. The pancakes are normally completely immersed in the oil while cooking.
Frying takes a few minutes, and when finished, the resulting pancakes should be golden brown. Once cooked, the squash fritters should be removed with a slotted spoon and placed on a paper towel to drain. They are best served immediately. Sweet pancakes can be served with syrups, such as maple, cinnamon, and sugar. Spicier versions are best paired with dipping sauces like tomato chutney or baconnaise.
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