Pumpkin and haloumi fritters

These fritters are some of the best fritters I have in my fritter repetoire and I have quite a few favourite fritters, because I love them so. They are golden, beautifully crunchy on the outside and meltingly, soft on the inside. Best of all you can make them ahead. During last year’s, four month lockdown I became incredibly lazy and uninspired with cooking. This was a marked contrast to the lockdown in 2020 when I was baking bread, biscuits and making virtual feasts every night. I still haven’t really recovered my cooking mojo so I really like a make ahead component to meal making. It can trick you into getting a decent meal on the table, in what seems like no time at all, because you’ve done most of the work beforehand. These fritters also make excellent picnic fare, the way this pandemic is panning out, it seems like we will be picnicking outdoors for many years to come. Covid variants may come and go but fritters are forever.

Pumpkin and Haloumi fritters

Adapted from – Artichokes and Village Greens by Fofi Goulas

• 180 g butternut pumpkin (coarsely grated)
• 1 small red onion (coarsely grated)
• 180 g haloumi cheese (coarsely grated)
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup canola oil (for frying)

1. Mix together all ingredients (apart from oil). Roll heaped spoonfuls of mix into about 15 balls and flatten slightly.
2. Heat oil in large frying pan to medium heat. Fry fritters in batches until deep golden brown. A bout 3 minutes on both sides) Remove and drain on a tray lined with paper towel.

Note: These fritters can be made ahead and reheated in the oven. The mixture can also made a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator until needed.