Quipe (Dominican Fried Bulgur and Beef Croquettes)
In short: Football-shaped shells of seasoned bulgur and beef, filled with spiced ground beef and fried until crisp. Common at Dominican parties and bakeries. It takes about 1 h 25 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 25 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 325 kcal
Quipe is a staple snack at Dominican parties, bakeries and street stalls, especially around Christmas. A shell of soaked bulgur wheat and ground beef is shaped around a spoonful of seasoned beef, closed into an oval and fried until deep brown and crisp, while the inside stays moist and spiced. It is eaten hot with a squeeze of lime or a little hot sauce, often with fried green plantains. Shaping takes patience, but a batch freezes well.
Instructions
- Rinse the bulgur and soak it in hot water for 30 minutes until softened. Drain well, then squeeze it in a clean towel until almost dry.
- For the filling, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned. Stir in the oregano, salt, pepper, tomato paste and cilantro. Cool completely.
- For the shell, put the bulgur, raw ground beef, grated onion, cilantro, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano in a food processor. Pulse to a smooth paste, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of ice water if needed to keep it pliable.
- Wet your hands. Flatten a golf-ball-sized piece of the shell mixture into a thick disc in your palm and put about 1 tablespoon of cooled filling in the center.
- Fold the shell around the filling and pinch the ends closed to make an oval, smoothing the surface with wet fingers. Repeat to make about 16.
- Chill the shaped quipes on a tray for at least 30 minutes so they hold together in the fryer.
- Heat the oil to 175°C (350°F) in a deep pot. Fry 4 or 5 at a time for 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until deep brown and crisp and cooked through to 71°C (160°F).
- Drain on paper towels and serve hot with lime wedges.
Tips
- Squeeze the soaked bulgur very dry. Too much water makes a shell that cracks or falls apart in the fryer.
- Quipes can be baked instead. Brush them with oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, though they will be less crisp.
Questions and answers
Can I freeze quipe?
Yes. Freeze the shaped, uncooked quipes on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months. Fry from frozen at 170°C (340°F) for 6 to 7 minutes.
How is quipe different from kibbeh?
They are close relatives. Dominican quipe is deep-fried and seasoned with oregano and cilantro, while kibbeh elsewhere may be baked, fried or raw and often uses warmer spices such as cinnamon and allspice.
What bulgur should I use for quipe?
Fine bulgur, sometimes labeled number 1. Coarse bulgur gives a grainy shell that cracks, while fine bulgur softens in 30 minutes.
How long does it take to make Quipe (Dominican Fried Bulgur and Beef Croquettes)?
About 1 h 25 min in total: 1 h of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Quipe (Dominican Fried Bulgur and Beef Croquettes)?
About 325 kcal per serving, with 15 g of protein, 26 g of carbohydrates and 18 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 325 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 26 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 480 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
