Pea and ricotta fritters

Name: Pea and ricotta fritters
Total time: 30 min
Yield: About 12 small fritters
Ingredients: 150 g (1 cup) frozen peas; 125 g (½ cup) ricotta; 1 egg; 4 tbsp plain (all-purpose) wheat flour; 1–2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

Soft green fritters of mashed peas and creamy ricotta, pan-cooked until set, with no added salt. Contains milk, egg and wheat: offer them once your baby has had each on its own.

From: 6 months
Time: 30 min
Makes: About 12 small fritters

Contains milkContains eggContains wheat

Ingredients

150 g (1 cup)frozen peasor no-salt-added canned peas, drained and rinsed
125 g (½ cup)ricottaplain, whole-milk and made from pasteurized milk (check the label)
1egg
4 tbspplain (all-purpose) wheat flour
1–2 tbspvegetable or olive oilfor cooking

Steps

1Wash your hands. Boil or steam the peas for about 4 to 6 minutes, until very soft. Don't add salt to the water. Drain them well and let them cool for 10 minutes.
2Mash the peas with a fork or potato masher until every pea is broken open and squashed. Look through the mash and press flat any whole peas you find: none should stay round.
3Spoon off any watery liquid from the top of the ricotta. Beat the egg, then mix in the mashed peas, ricotta and flour to make a thick batter. Don't taste the raw batter: raw flour and raw egg can carry germs. Wash your hands, the bowl, utensils and work surface with warm, soapy water after handling them.
4Heat a thin layer of oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Spoon in the batter and shape each fritter into a finger about 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), and about 1 cm thick.
5Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden and set all the way through, with no wet batter in the middle. If you use a food thermometer, the center should reach 160°F (71°C). Lower the heat if they brown too fast.
6Drain on kitchen paper and let them cool. Break one open and check again for whole peas, then squash it between your thumb and finger: it should flatten easily. Trim off any crisp edges, and check they're only just warm before serving.

How to serve it by age

6 months+

Once your baby has had dairy, egg and wheat on their own without a reaction, offer one or two whole finger-shaped fritters to hold and gnaw.

9 months+

Cut fritters into pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or keep offering whole soft fritters to bite.

12 months+

Serve whole fritters or bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) with soft-cooked vegetables or a spoonful of plain yogurt, as part of the family meal.

If your baby reacts

This recipe contains milk, egg, wheat. Introduce one new allergen at a time, mixed into a food your baby already eats, before serving it in a dish with other new foods. Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if you notice mild signs after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Leftovers and the rest of the family

Storing it

Cool leftover fritters quickly and keep them in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 2 to 3 months (freeze them in a single layer, then pack them together once frozen). They turn a little softer after freezing. Thaw them in the fridge and use them within 24 hours of thawing, or reheat them from frozen. Reheat only once, until steaming hot, 165°F (74°C), then let them cool and check they're still soft before serving. Throw away anything left in your baby's bowl. Don't leave fritters at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F (32°C).

For the grown-ups

Cook your baby's fritters first, then add salt, pepper, lemon zest and chopped mint to the rest of the batter for the adults. Serve with a poached egg or salad for an easy lunch.