Quick and Easy Sephardi Pumpkin Patties

In the U.S., pumpkin pie is almost mandatory at Thanksgiving, while pumpkin makes occasional appearances in sweet breads and sometimes a creamy soup during the fall and winter. But pumpkin holds a special place in the stomachs — and history — of Sephardim. This versatile fruit is used in cakes, soups, stews, puddings, jams, pastries and pancakes. It can be savory or sweet and baked, boiled, roasted, steamed or stuffed. And, yes, it’s a fruit much like avocados, tomatoes and squash. 

Pumpkins have been around as a cultivated food for a surprisingly long time. Native Americans grew them for nearly 6,000 years before pumpkins became one of the first New World foods introduced to Europeans by Spanish explorers in the early 1500s. 

During the 16th century, the Jews remaining in Iberia were nearly all conversos, converts to Christianity, with many secretly hanging onto their Judaism, often through food. During the 16th and 17th centuries, these secret Jews continued to flee Spain’s inquisition across Europe to the Ottoman Empire and throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East, bringing with them their love of this new ingredient, pumpkin. As Gil Marks notes in “The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food:” The presence of pumpkin in early Mediterranean dishes is usually a sign of Sephardic influence.” You can read more about the history of Sephardim and pumpkin here.

From this Sephardic influence, Italian Jews were among the first to robustly incorporate pumpkin into their cuisine, becoming known for their pumpkin-stuffed ravioli and tortellini, puddings and sweet pumpkin fritters (fritelle di zucca). Sephardim who found new homes in what is now Turkey and Greece made many pumpkin dishes, including filling flakey Ottoman pastries to make borekas de kalavasa (pumpkin in Ladino, the language of Sephardim) and deep-fried pumpkin fritters or sweet pancakes, both called bimuelos de kalavasa. There are, by the way, different versions of the name, which include bumuelos, birmuelos and, in Central America, buñuelos. 

We can’t talk about pumpkins without bringing up its 21st-century status as a “super food” acclaimed for its nutrient-dense benefits. Pumpkin flesh is fat-free, and high in fiber, potassium and vitamin C. It provides antioxidants and is one of the best sources of beta carotene. All this adds up to being good for hearts, eyesight, weight control and cancer-fighting. Canned pumpkin still has these healthy benefits including 7 grams of fiber per cup, more than two slices of whole wheat bread. In fact, unlike most fruits and vegetables, nutritionally, canned pumpkin is usually as good,  or even better, than the homemade puree… and a whole lot less work.

Sephardim recognize pumpkin’s importance during the fall holidays. At the traditional Sephardic Rosh Hashanah seder, one of the special seven blessings is symbolized by pumpkin (or its close relative, squash). At Sukkot, not only is pumpkin a fall crop, but the many seeds symbolize fertility and abundance. These pumpkin patties, bimuelos de kalavasa, are perfect for Hanukkah along with the deep-fried version. 

So this year, for your very American Thanksgiving dinner and potato latke-laden Hanukkah, let these pumpkins patties bring an easy and tasty bite of Sephardic history to the table.

Notes:

• To refrigerate or freeze, put cooked patties in an airtight container with layers separated by parchment paper.  Can be refrigerated for four days or frozen for up to a month. 
• To reheat, defrost slightly, just enough to separate patties. Place directly on a parchment-lined baking sheet or on top of wire cooling racks placed on a baking sheet. Heat in 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes.
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar can be used instead of maple syrup.
• Date syrup (aka silan) is available at Middle Eastern and some kosher markets.
• These are best when served immediately, but the cooked patties can be kept warm in a 200°F oven on top of wire cooling racks placed on a baking sheet for up to 40 minutes. 

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