Serves 6 to 8

1/2 pound pumpkin, peeled, seeded and sliced
1/2 pound sweet potato, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground aniseed
4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 package dry active yeast
Vegetable oil

For the sugar syrup:
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 piece lemon peel
1 piece orange peel

Cook the pumpkin and sweet potato in water to cover until they are tender. Drain, mash and put through a ricer. Mix in the salt, aniseed, and flour. Soften the yeast in 1/4 cup of lukewarm water and mix it into the flour to make a fairly firm dough, adding a little more water if necessary. Knead the dough until it is smooth and satiny, about 5 minutes. Place it in a bowl, cover with a cloth, and allow to stand in a warm, draft-free place for 2 or 3 hours, or until it has doubled in bulk.

Preheat the oil to 375 degrees F. Pull off tablespoon-sized pieces of dough and shape them into rings. Deep fry until they are browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels and serve with sugar syrup (recipe follows).

For the sugar syrup:
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until the syrup has thickened. Discard the orange and lemon peel, and drizzle sauce over the fritters.