In central Portugal, a bowl of cooked pumpkin on Christmas Eve is rarely just pumpkin for long. It becomes bilharacos: soft, fragrant fritters that disappear almost as quickly as they come out of the oil. My favorite batches are the ones with plenty of orange zest and just enough flour to hold their shape.
They sit in the same generous family as sonhos and filhós, but bilharacos stay especially tender inside because pumpkin makes up most of the batter. Serve them warm, with cinnamon sugar clinging to every ridge.
Bilharacos de Abóbora (Beira Christmas Pumpkin Fritters) Recipe
What you need
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) peeled pumpkin, cut into chunks
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 large orange
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- Neutral oil, for frying
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons cinnamon, for coating
Cook along
Instructions
- Steam or boil the pumpkin until completely tender, then drain very well and mash smooth. Let cool until just warm.
- Stir the yeast into the pumpkin, then add the eggs, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in the flour to make a thick, sticky batter that drops slowly from a spoon.
- Cover and leave in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes, until slightly puffed and bubbly.
- Heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F (175°C). Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the oil, working in batches, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until deeply golden.
- Drain briefly on paper towels, then roll the warm bilharacos in cinnamon sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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