This recipe for sopaipillas (pumpkin fritters) has been provided by a Chilean woman named Clara, seen here in her kitchen. She emigrated to New Zealand with her husband and children in 1987, at a time when General Augusto Pinochet and his military junta governed Chile.

Sopaipillas (pumpkin fritters)

1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin
1 cup plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp soft butter or margarine
½ tsp salt
oil for frying

Put all ingredients together in a bowl and mix just enough to form a firm ball. You’ll need to add a little more flour if the pumpkin is very moist. On a floured bench roll out the dough mixture thickly, about 1 cm, and cut into rounds with a small (about 5 cm) cookie cutter. Prick with a fork. Pour enough oil in a frying pan to coat the bottom. Put on the heat and when the pan is moderately hot, fry the sopaipillas until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes, then turn and fry the second side, another 3–4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve hot or warm with salsa pebre or sweet syrup.