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Alcapurrias (Green Banana and Yautía Fritters)

Crunchy torpedo-shaped fritters of green banana and yautía masa with a seasoned ground beef filling.

By Wanda Oyola 1 h 45 min Medium

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Recipe in testing: I'm cooking it in my TM7™ and will update the steps and the photo with my own.

Golden fried alcapurrias on parchment, one broken open to show a ground beef filling, with a small bowl of red dipping sauce and green plantains.

Alcapurrias are stars of the fritura kiosks along the beaches of Puerto Rico, from Piñones to Luquillo: long, crunchy fritters made from a masa of green bananas and yautía, with a savory filling of seasoned ground beef inside. Eat them hot, with a few drops of pique or a dip in mayo-ketchup.

The Thermomix® TM7™ does the two jobs that used to take the most time: it cooks a dry, well-seasoned picadillo for the filling and grates the green bananas and yautía into a smooth masa. A short rest in the fridge firms up the masa, and a greased banana leaf or a piece of parchment helps you shape each one.

Made in the Thermomix® TM7™

Alcapurrias (Green Banana and Yautía Fritters)

Makes: About 12 alcapurrias

  • Prep1 h
  • Cook45 min
  • Total1 h 45 min
  • Serves6

Ingredients

For the filling

For the masa

To shape and fry

To serve

Instructions

  1. Place the oil and sofrito in the mixing bowl and sauté 3 min/120°C (250°F)/speed 1.
  2. Add the ground beef in small pieces, place the simmering basket on the mixing bowl lid instead of the measuring cup and sauté 8 min/120°C (250°F)/reverse/speed 1.
  3. Add the tomato sauce, alcaparrado, sazón, oregano and salt and cook 10 min/100°C (212°F)/reverse/speed soft, with the simmering basket on the lid, until the filling is almost dry. Spread it on a plate to cool and rinse the mixing bowl.
  4. For the masa, place half of the bananas and yautía and 15 g achiote oil in the mixing bowl. Chop 10 sec/speed 6, scrape down the sides and blend 30 sec/speed 8. Scrape again and blend 20 sec/speed 8, until you have a smooth, thick paste. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the rest.
  5. Stir the salt into the masa, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, so it firms up and is easier to shape.
  6. Grease the banana leaf with a little oil. Spread 80 g masa (1/3 cup) on it into an oval about 12 cm (5 in) long, place 1 heaped tbsp of filling in the center and use the leaf to fold the masa over the filling into a closed torpedo. Smooth the seam with a wet spoon.
  7. In a deep pot on the stove, heat 6 cm (2 1/2 in) of oil to 175°C (350°F). Slide each alcapurria straight from the leaf into the oil and fry 3 or 4 at a time, 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until deep golden all over.
  8. Drain on paper towels and serve hot, with pique or mayo-ketchup for dipping.

Tips

  • Achiote oil: warm 60 g (1/4 cup) vegetable oil with 1 tbsp annatto seeds in a small saucepan over low heat on the stove for 3 minutes, until deep orange, then strain. No annatto? Mix the oil with 1/2 packet of sazón with achiote.
  • Shape all the alcapurrias first and keep them on a tray lined with greased parchment. They also freeze raw: freeze them on the tray, bag them, and fry them from frozen 2 to 3 minutes longer.
  • Keep the oil at 175°C (350°F). If it is too cool the masa soaks up oil, and if it is too hot the outside browns before the center cooks.
  • For alcapurrias de jueyes, swap the beef for 300 g (2/3 lb) cooked crab meat and cook it only 5 minutes in step 3.

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