Banana Fritters

Recipe No. 169 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Fritters and Croquettes. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Flour, sifted — 4¼ pounds (4¼ No. 56 dippers)
• Sugar, granulated — 1¾ pounds (⅞ No. 56 dipper)
• Baking powder — 4 ounces (10½ mess kit spoons)
• Salt — 3 ounces (6 mess kit spoons)
• Milk, evaporated — 2—14½-ounce cans
• Water (for milk) — 1½ pints (1 mess kit cup)
• Eggs, beaten — 12 eggs (⅔ No. 56 dipper)
• Shortening, melted — 6 ounces (¼ mess kit cup)

Bananas — 50 to 60 bananas

• Flour, sifted (for rolling) — 1 pound (1 No. 56 dipper)
• Shortening (for frying) — as needed

Directions

Key ingredients

Baking Soda & Baking Powder · Evaporated Milk

1. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
2. Combine milk, water, beaten egg, and shortening; mix well. Add to flour mixture; stir until smooth.
3. Cut each banana into three or four diagonal pieces. Roll each piece lightly in flour.
4. Drop pieces of bananas into batter; stir lightly until each piece is completely covered.
5. Fry bananas in deep hot fat (375° F.) 4 to 6 minutes, turning frequently to cook them evenly.
6. Drain on absorbent paper or a rack.
7. Serve very hot.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Flour, sifted — 5½ oz Sugar, granulated — 2¼ oz Baking powder — about 2 tsp Salt — about 1½ tsp Milk, evaporated — ½ can (14½ oz) Water (for milk) — 3¾ tbsp Eggs, beaten — 1 eggs Shortening, melted — ½ oz Bananas — 4 to 60 bananas Flour, sifted (for rolling) — 1¼ oz Shortening (for frying) — to taste

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 169, Fritters and Croquettes. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.