Crispy fried pumpkin balls with cheese – tasty and nutritious

This crispy fried pumpkin and cheese bites dish has a crunchy coating on the outside, soft smooth pumpkin on the inside and rich, flavorful cheese – a perfect snack for cold winter days!

Ingredients:

– 500 g pumpkin

– 300 g sandwich bread crusts (or more as needed)

– 30 g grated Parmesan cheese

– 100 g Fontina cheese – if you can’t find it, you can substitute with Emmental cheese

– 2 eggs

– Soft bread crumb (crumb from the inside of the bread)

– Salt, pepper, nutmeg powder

– Fresh milk to soften the bread

– Oil for frying

Method:

	Step 1: Wash the pumpkin, cut into small pieces, put into a pot with a little salt and water and cook until very soft. Use a spoon to mash the pumpkin until smooth.
	Step 2: In a bowl, soak the soft bread crumb with milk until softened (adjust the amount of milk to match the bread quantity), then add the mashed pumpkin. Crack in 2 eggs and mix well.
	Add diced Fontina cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg powder.
	Step 3: Pulse or crumble the bread crusts until fine. Mix the pumpkin–cheese mixture well, then shape into small, evenly sized balls. Roll each ball in the ground bread crust.
	Step 4: Heat plenty of oil in a pan, and when the oil is hot, drop the pumpkin balls in and fry until golden all over.
	Remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve hot with a vegetable salad if you like.

Pumpkin is a very healthy vegetable, providing a rich source of vitamin A that is great for the eyes, and it also has a beautiful, appealing color. These crispy fried pumpkin and cheese bites with a crunchy golden crust, soft pumpkin interior and rich, savory cheese will not only be loved by children but will also have every other member of your family coming back for more!