Alcapurrias (Puerto Rican Stuffed Plantain Fritters)
In short: Crisp fritters of grated green banana and taro dough stuffed with seasoned ground beef, a Puerto Rican kiosk favorite fried until deep gold. It takes about 1 h 20 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 20 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 360 kcal
Alcapurrias are the fritters you smell before you see them at roadside kiosks in Puerto Rico, especially on weekends along the coast. A dough of grated green banana and yautía is wrapped around seasoned beef, shaped into a torpedo and fried until the outside turns crunchy and the inside stays soft and slightly sweet. They are eaten hot, with hot sauce or a squeeze of lime, often next to bacalaítos.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet and brown the beef for 5 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains (71°C / 160°F). Stir in the sofrito, tomato sauce, olives, oregano and salt, and cook 5 minutes more until dry. Cool completely.
- Cut the bananas and yautía into chunks. Grate them on the fine side of a box grater, or process in batches until smooth and thick.
- Mix the grated dough with the annatto oil and salt. It should look like a thick, sticky paste that holds a shape on a spoon.
- Oil your hands lightly. Scoop about 1/4 cup of dough, flatten it in your palm into a 10 cm (4 inch) oval and put 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle.
- Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the seam closed, shaping the fritter into a torpedo about 10 cm (4 inches) long. Place on parchment paper.
- Heat the frying oil in a deep pan to 175°C (350°F). Fry 3 or 4 fritters at a time for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp.
- Drain on paper towels and serve hot, with hot sauce and lime wedges.
Tips
- The dough is sticky, so keep a bowl of oil beside you and re-oil your hands often. Wet hands make the dough slide and tear.
- No yautía? Use malanga, which is very similar, or more green banana. Frozen grated yautía works if thawed and squeezed dry.
Questions and answers
Can I bake alcapurrias instead of frying them?
You can, at 220°C (425°F) for 25 to 30 minutes, brushed with oil. They will be drier and less crisp than fried ones, but they hold their shape.
Can I freeze alcapurrias?
Yes. Freeze the shaped, unfried fritters on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months. Fry them from frozen for about 7 minutes at a slightly lower heat.
What is the difference between alcapurrias and empanadillas?
Alcapurrias have a dough of grated green banana and root vegetables, which gives them a soft, slightly sweet center. Empanadillas use a wheat dough like a small turnover.
How long does it take to make Alcapurrias (Puerto Rican Stuffed Plantain Fritters)?
About 1 h 20 min in total: 50 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Alcapurrias (Puerto Rican Stuffed Plantain Fritters)?
About 360 kcal per serving, with 9 g of protein, 34 g of carbohydrates and 21 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 360 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 34 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 740 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
