Fried pumpkin: the recipe for an unusual and tasty side dish

The fried pumpkin it’s a outline quick and easy, a delicious dish, suitable for the fall season and which can be prepared in a few minutes. Simply clean the pumpkin by removing the seeds, internal filaments and skin, then cut it into thin slices or sticks, like crisps, and blanch it lightly in salted water. Once drained and wiped with paper towel, these are fried in a pan with very hot seed oil until they are lightly browned: you will thus obtain a crunchy pumpkin and fragrant that will conquer young and old.

Perfect for any family lunch or dinner, the pumpkin is eaten as an accompaniment to a second course of meat, fish or with fresh and creamy cheeses; you can also serve it as antipasti or delicious bites to offer at aperitif time. To complete the dish, to make it even tastier and more aromatic, we have added chopped fresh rosemary, but you can add herbs you prefer or spices, such as sweet, smoked paprika, cumin or curry.

Find out how to prepare fried pumpkin by following the step-by-step procedure and tips. Also try baked pumpkin and rosemary.

How to prepare fried pumpkin

Cut the squash 1clean it of seeds and cut it into slices.

Remove the skin from the pulp, then cut it into sticks 2.

Dip the sticks in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes 3. Then pass them under cold water, to stop the cooking, drain them and wipe them with absorbent kitchen paper.

Meanwhile, collect the most tender rosemary needles and chop them with a knife 4.

Heat a generous amount of peanut oil in a frying pan and dip a few sticks in it at a time 5.

Cook them for 4-5 minutes, then drain them with a slotted spoon. 6.

Dab with paper towel and season with salt 7.

Also sprinkle with chopped rosemary 8.

Serve the fried pumpkin hot 9.

Tips

Alternatively, you can prepare the breaded fried pumpkin. Remove the outer skin from the pumpkin and also remove the seeds and internal filaments. Once cleaned, cut it into thin slices and not too large. Roll them first in the flour, then in the beaten egg with a little salt, then in the breadcrumbs. Fry the pumpkin slices in boiling seed oil and, when they are golden brown, drain them using a slotted spoon and place them on a sheet of paper towel. Season with a pinch of salt and serve immediately.

If you want to get a softer interior and tasty, cut the pumpkin into 1 cm slices and blanch them in a saucepan with the milk and a pinch of salt for a few minutes. Then let them soften in hot milk for about 3 minutes and continue according to the recipe.

Those who prefer can pass the pumpkin in a dough without egg: for the preparation, just cut the pumpkin into sticks, prepare the Beatdip the pumpkin sticks then brown them for about 5 minutes in very hot oil, until they are golden brown.