“Tortitas de Calabazas” (pumpkin patties)

Tortas de Calabaza (Photo: Margarita)

My mother had an arsenal of special side dishes and treats—all home made with natural, wholesome ingredients. This one, though with a scent of autumn, is a Puerto Rican treat with its roots in Spain and for my family the Canary Islands where my mother’s maternal ancestors were from. “Tortitas de Calabazas” is a year round appetizer, side dish or dessert if you live in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean or the Canary Islands. But for those living where pumpkin grows seasonal, it’s a fall treat. Prepared with spices—the warming of cinnamon, the sweetness of brown sugar, the protein of eggs and the energy of this carbohydrate high in beta-carotene—makes Tortitas de Calabazas a special treat any time of the day. It is like a pancake, but much smaller since there is less flour and more pumpkin. Though they are traditionally fried, I sauté them on a skillet as if I were making pancakes.

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Below is my recipe, a spin off from my mother’s. This one is gluten free. ¡Buen provecho!

“Tortitas de Calabazas”

by Margarita Persico

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 g) pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons of brown sugar, maple syrup, Stevia or the sweetener of your choice (may add more sugar or less to taste)
• ½ – 1 tablespoon cinnamon or pumpkin spices
• ½ cup (100 g) of gluten free flour
• vegetable oil