Portuguese Pumpkin Fritters | Bilharacos | Sonhas
Small, round donuts from the Aveiro District of Portugal most often enjoyed during the Christmas season. They are made with pumpkin, polenta, cinnamon, orange, and white port, and then rolled in cinnamon sugar. Sometimes raisins, pine nuts, or walnuts are also added. Outside of the Aveiro District, they are called Sonhas, or "dreams."
Ingredients
- 3 pounds cubed pumpkin that's been peeled and de-seeded (see note) 1.4 kilograms
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- peeled rind of one lemon
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- zest and juice of 1 orange
- 2 tbsp white port
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 90 g sugar ½ cup
- 90 g polenta (not instant) ¾ cup
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 1 liter frying oil (canola, sunflower, peanut, soybean, etc) 34 fluid ounces
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 90 g sugar ½ cup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Day 1, Evening
- The night before you intend to make these, put the cubed pumpkin in a large pot and cover it with water. Add the cinnamon sticks and lemon rind and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce it to a simmer and simmer until the pumpkin is very soft when pierced with a fork. This could take anywhere from 20-40 minutes.
- Drain the cooked pumpkin in a colander, discarding the cinnamon sticks and lemon rind, and place the colander with the pumpkin in a large bowl. Cover the top of the colander with a large plate and place the whole thing in the refrigerator to drip overnight.
Day 2
- The next day, bring the pumpkin to room temperature and then place it on a clean dish towel (that you don't mind gets stained) and ring out the pumpkin in the towel until all excess water is expelled and the pumpkin has turned into a thick, dry paste.
- Place the pumpkin paste in a large bowl and break it up with a fork. Then add in the ground cinnamon, salt, zest and juice of the orange, and port and stir it with the fork until combined.
- Now, using a whisk, add in the sugar, polenta, yeast, and eggs. Whisk until the mixture is pretty smooth. Cover and let sit for 45 minutes.
- Towards the end of the resting period, fill your pot with the frying oil and bring it up to 180℃ / 350℉. Next to your pot, place a baking sheet lined with paper towels, and a bowl with your cinnamon sugar mixture. You will be placing the hot fritters on the paper-towel lined baking sheet.
- When the oil has reached the correct temperature, use two oiled tablespoons and pick up your donut dough and form a rough ball. Place the formed ball into the hot oil. Let it cook a couple of minutes until brown on one side, and then turn it over and let it brown on the other side. Keep an eye on the thermometer to keep the temperature at or around 180℃ / 350℉. If it gets too hot, the fritters will burn. If it gets too cool, the fritters will become oil-logged.
- Place the hot fritters on the paper-towel lined baking sheet and then toss them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Enjoy the fritters immediately after frying.
Notes
Can canned pumpkin be substituted for fresh? No. Canned pumpkin has too much liquid in it. The fresh pumpkin needs to be squeezed until it is a dry paste, otherwise the fritters won't cook in the middle when fried.