Chilean Sopaipillas with Pebre: Crisp Pumpkin Fry Bread for After-School

Make the pebre first so the flavors have time to settle: combine the tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, chili, olive oil, vinegar and a generous pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir and set aside at room temperature.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin or butternut squash, cooled
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 to 4 tablespoons warm water, as needed
• Neutral oil, for frying (about 4 cups)
• 3 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1 green chili, seeded and minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Make the pebre first so the flavors have time to settle: combine the tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, chili, olive oil, vinegar and a generous pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir and set aside at room temperature.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Add the mashed pumpkin and the melted butter and work the mixture with your hands until it comes together into a shaggy dough. Add warm water a tablespoon at a time only if the dough refuses to come together; wetter pumpkin needs none.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 3 to 4 minutes, until smooth and pliable. Cover with a towel and rest 20 minutes so the gluten relaxes and rolling gets easy.
5. Roll the dough out to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Cut rounds with a 3-inch cutter or a glass, gathering and re-rolling the scraps once.
6. Prick each round two or three times with a fork. This keeps them from ballooning into hollow pillows.
7. Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350°F. Fry the sopaipillas in batches of three or four, turning once, until puffed and deep golden, about 2 minutes per side.
8. Lift onto a rack set over a sheet pan and salt them lightly while they are still glistening.
9. Serve hot, piled in a basket with the bowl of pebre alongside for spooning or dipping.
10. In Chile sopaipillas are winter street food, sold from carts on rainy afternoons and eaten either savory with pebre or drowned in spiced chancaca syrup. The pumpkin is not there for sweetness but for texture; it keeps the crumb tender and soft hours after frying, which is exactly why a batch made at three o'clock is still worth eating when the kids come through the door.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 342 kcal
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 17g
• Carbohydrates: 42g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 460mg