Bumuelos, or burmuleos, are fritters from the Sephardi cuisine, from Turkey and the Balkan, that are likely to be originated from Moorish Spain. There are many versions for these fritters, some are sweet and some are savory, some are made with flour and served on Hanukkah, and some are prepared with matzo for Passover.
Buñuelo fritters are also popular in Spain and Latin America, in many different shapes and flavors.
The version here is for Passover and contains feta and kashkaval (hard cheese from the Balkan) cheese. They are simply wonderful.
Bumuelos, Sephardi matzo and cheese Patties
Course: Appetizers, Breakfast, PastriesCuisine: Israeli, Jewish, Sephardi, TurkishDifficulty: Easy18
Bumuelos30
minutes30
minutes1
hour10
minutesKashkaval is a hard cheese from the Balkan and is available at Eastern European and some Middle Eastern supermarkets. You can replace it with pecorino, parmesan, or any hard cheese you like.
INGREDIENTS
5 matzo
3 eggs, lightly beaten
½ lb. feta cheese (preferably soft)
¼ lb. grated kashkaval cheese (see note above)
4 green onion, chopped
1-2 tablespoons matzo meal (optional)
*Corn oil, or safflower oil or mild olive oil for frying (*corn oil is kosher for Passover only for legume eaters)
DIRECTIONS
- Break matzo into a large bowl and cover with water at room temperature. Let stand for 30 minutes for the matzo to absorb the water and become very soft.
- Use your hands to squeeze as much water as possible from the matzo and transfer to another clean bowl. Add eggs, feta, kashkaval and green onion and mix well. you want to get a thick mixture that will allow you to form patties that will keep their shape. If the mixture seems too wet, add 1-2 tablespoons matzo meal to thicken it.
- Prepare a bowl of water near your burner. Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towel.
- Heat ½ inch of oil in a frying pan over medium heat to about 325 degrees or until a drop of the matzo mixture will bubble all around in the oil. Wet your hands and form a 1½ -2 inch flat patties of the matzo mixture and drop into the oil. Fry on medium simmer for about 3-4 minutes on each side (6-8 minutes all together) until golden brown on both sides. Transfer patties to the baking sheet.
- Serve warm. Bumuelos can keep in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days.