Roasted Butternut Squash and Pinto Bean Fritters with Smoked Paprika

Preheat oven to 200°C. Peel and cube the butternut squash into 2cm pieces. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, 0.5 tsp salt, and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast for 25-28 minutes, until the squash is tender and caramelized at the edges. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Drain and rinse the pinto beans. Pat dry with a clean towel to remove excess moisture.

Mash the pinto beans in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher, leaving some beans slightly chunky for texture. Finely grate the yellow onion and squeeze out excess liquid with your hands.

Add the grated onion to the mashed beans along with the roasted squash, egg, breadcrumbs, cumin, turmeric, 0.75 tsp salt, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.

Form the mixture into 8 equal patties (about 2 inches wide, 1cm thick). Place on a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.

Add 4 fritters to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and crispy. Adjust heat if they brown too quickly.

Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Add remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and cook the remaining 4 fritters. Total cooking time is about 6-8 minutes per batch.

While the second batch cooks, warm 3 tbsp olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add 1 crushed garlic clove and cook for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.

Remove from heat and stir in the smoked paprika. The sauce will sizzle gently. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt with a pinch of salt and the juice of half the lemon. Stir to combine. Reserve the remaining lemon half for serving.

Arrange the fritters on a warm serving platter. Drizzle the smoked paprika sauce over the fritters, letting it pool naturally between them.

Add dollops of the lemon yogurt alongside. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.