**Alcapurrias: A Taste of Puerto Rican Heritage**
Originating from the vibrant island of Puerto Rico, alcapurrias are a delightful street food and appetizer that have captured the hearts of many. These fritters, made from a savory blend of green bananas, yuca root, and sofrito, are filled with a variety of ingredients, ranging from savory beef to succulent pork or flavorful seafood. Alcapurrias embody the culinary traditions of Puerto Rico, combining the flavors of the Caribbean with a touch of Spanish influence. Discover the authentic taste of Puerto Rican cuisine with these alcapurrias recipes, offering a range of fillings to suit every palate. From the classic beef-stuffed alcapurrias to the seafood-filled variations, these recipes provide a delightful journey into the vibrant flavors of Puerto Rico. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a culinary novice, these recipes offer a step-by-step guide to creating these delectable fritters, ensuring a delicious and authentic experience.
ALCAPURRIAS - STUFFED YUCA FRITTERS
Alcapurrias are famous Puerto Rican stuffed fritters most commonly served in road-side stands and in cafeterias that specialize in fried snacks, called cuchifritos. The dough of the alcapurria is made from a starchy vegetable, either mashed green plantains or grated yuca, and then stuffed with a savory mixture of ground meat or pork. The dough is formed into a cylinder shape, and then deep-fried until crisp. Here, yuca dough envelops savory pork filling to make a traditional snack that's absolutely delicious!
Time 1h
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- For the Filling: Step 1 Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork. Cook, breaking up pork with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 5-6 minutes; drain off and discard excess oil. Stir in olives, Sazón and Adobo. Cook, stirring until combined, about 1 minute more. Transfer pork mixture to bowl; transfer to refrigerator until chilled. For the Dough: Step 2 In medium bowl, stir together yuca, Sazón and Adobo until combined; set in refrigerator until chilled. To make the Fritters: Step 3 Scoop ¼ cup yuca mixture into palm of hand. Form into flat oval disk. Scoop 1 tbsp. cooled pork filling into center of dough. Fold dough over filling to enclose; roll dough in hands to form cylinder about 3" long. Place on clean work surface; repeat with remaining dough and filling (you may have some pork left over), until you have 12 yuca cylinders. Step 4 Heat 2" oil in heavy, deep pot over medium-high heat until oil registers 350°F. Add 3-4 yuca cylinders, taking care not to crowd pan. Cook, flipping with slotted metal spoon, until outside of fritter is crisp and dough inside is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F), 7-10 minutes. Transfer fritters to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve warm.
ALCAPURRIAS
Provided by Food Network
Time 2h5m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- For the meat: Place a skillet over medium heat and add the canola oil, onions and sofrito. Cook 1 minute, then add ground beef, tomato sauce, adobo, salt and olives. Mix well and let cook until brown, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- For the fritters: With a knife, cut the skin off the taro root and peel the bananas. Grate the taro root and bananas on the small holes of a box grater. Mix them with the annatto oil, adobo and salt in a bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour, since the chilled dough is easier to assemble. (This is optional.)
- To assemble the fritters, use wax paper as your base. Cover the center with some annatto oil. Take a heaping 1/4 cup dough and set it in the center of the paper. Spread thinly, then add 3 tablespoons ground beef mixture to the center. Wrap both ends of the paper over each other to make a cylinder-shaped fritter. Push down on the dough to seal the meat inside the fritter. Make sure the dough is sealed completely on both ends and the center. If there are holes, seal them with extra dough, using your finger.
- Heat several inches of canola oil in a Dutch oven or deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Slide the fritters into the hot oil for 5 to 6 minutes. Place them on a plate with a paper towel so the grease is absorbed. Serve immediately with hot sauce if desired.
ALCAPURRIAS RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: fresh cilantro, fresh culantro, medium green bell pepper, garlics, small yellow onion, adobo seasoning, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, vegetable oil, ground beef, spanish olive, dried adobo seasoning, garlic powder, ground black pepper, Sazón Culantro and Achiote seasoning, tomato sauce, unripe bananas, green plantain, yucca root, garlic powder, kosher salt, Sazón Culantro and Achiote seasoning, nonstick cooking spray, vegetable oil, hot sauce
Provided by Tikeyah Whittle
Categories Lunch
Time 1h10m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 25
Steps:
- Make the sofrito: Add the cilantro, culantro, bell pepper, garlic, onion, adobo seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper to a food processor and pulse until the vegetables are broken down and the mixture has the texture of a chunky salsa. Reserve ⅓ cup (75 G) for the filling, then set aside the remaining sofrito for another use. It will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
- Make the filling: Heat the vegetable oil in a large, high-walled skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the reserved ⅓ cup (75 G) sofrito and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef, olives, adobo seasoning, garlic powder, pepper, and Sazón Culantro and Achiote seasoning. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, 5-6 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the filling to a large bowl and set aside.
- Make the masa: Add the bananas, plantain, and yucca to a food processor and pulse until completely smooth, stopping the push the larger pieces to the bottom as you go. Transfer to a large bowl and add the garlic powder, salt, and Sazón Culantro and Achiote seasoning. Mix well to combine.
- To assemble, grease an 8 x 12-inch (20 x 30 cm) sheet of parchment paper with nonstick spray. Add about ⅔ cup (155 G) masa to the center of the parchment paper. Using a rubber spatula, spread the masa into an oval about ⅓-inch thick, leaving a 1-2-inch (2.5-5 cm) border of parchment around the edges.
- Scoop ⅓ cup (75 G) beef filling onto the center of the masa, leaving a 2-inch (5 cm) border of masa around the meat. Lift a long edge of the parchment paper up and over the filling to enclose with the masa, then repeat with the other side, then the short edges. The masa should stick to itself. Patch any holes with more masa, then use the parchment to gently roll the alcapurria from side to side to seal, making sure the filling is completely enclosed. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large, high-walled skillet to 350°F (180°C) over medium heat. Working with 1 wrapped alcapurria at a time, lower a long edge of the parchment into the oil and very gently roll the alcapurria off so it sits flat-side down, being careful not to splatter the oil. Add another alcapurria and fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain and cool slightly while you repeat with the remaining alcapurrias.
- Serve immediately with hot sauce for dipping.
- Enjoy!
ALCAPURRIAS DE JUEYES (CRAB-STUFFED FRITTERS)
Puerto Rico is famous for its fritters, and alcapurrias are among the most coveted. Imagine a tamale made of green banana and root vegetable masa that is stuffed with savory meat or seafood, and then deep fried. You typically get them from the kioskos, roadside stands along Puerto Rico's beaches and highways, particularly in Loíza, a town on the northeastern coast that is the island's African heart. At home, they're often made over the holidays, as many hands make light work. The flavor is unmistakable: earthy green banana and taro cut by savory sofrito, briny capers and delicate crab meat. The filling, often called a salmorejo, is usually made from local land crabs, but commercially available lump crab is a fitting substitute. This recipe is adapted from one by María Dolores "Lula" de Jesús, the 84-year-old owner of El Burén de Lula in Loíza, who is considered by many to be a madrina, or godmother, of this and other dishes with African origins.
Provided by Von Diaz
Categories finger foods, seafood, appetizer, side dish
Time 2h
Yield About 32 fritters
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Prepare the annatto oil: In a small saucepan, heat oil and annatto seeds over medium-high. Once the mixture comes to a rolling simmer, remove saucepan from stove, stir to combine, then let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer oil to a heat-safe container, straining out seeds through a fine-mesh sieve, and set aside. (Makes 3/4 cup.) You'll use this oil in three separate steps to come.
- Prepare the masa: Fill a large bowl with cold water and a fistful of salt. Peel and chop yautia and green bananas into 1-inch pieces, then soak in the salted water until ready to process.
- Cut at least 32 squares of wax paper about 4 to 5 inches each. (Traditionally, banana leaves are used, but, since they can be difficult to source, wax paper is an appropriate substitute.)
- Drain yautia and bananas well, then use a clean cloth to dab any excess water. Working in two batches, add half the drained yautia and bananas to the food processor with 1 tablespoon salt, and pulse until fully incorporated. Repeat with the remaining yautia, bananas and 1 tablespoon salt, processing to the texture of chunky hummus.
- Return the first batch of blended yautia and bananas to the food processor, turn it on and gradually pour in 1/2 cup annatto oil, blending the mixture until smooth and dark yellow in color. Taste for salt, then transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate for an hour or more so it can set. (This will make about 9 to 10 cups of masa.)
- Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan, bring 3 tablespoons annatto oil to a simmer over medium heat. Add sofrito, capers, sazón and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Lower heat to medium-low and add crab meat, stirring well to incorporate. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until flavors blend and crab has soaked up the seasoning. Adjust salt as needed.
- Create an assembly line on a long dining table or counter, preferably atop a cloth or towels you don't mind getting stained. From left to right, arrange the remaining annatto oil, wax paper squares, masa, crab filling and a large plate or baking sheet. Have a finger bowl with water and a clean towel available in case your hands get messy.
- Using a small teaspoon, smear about 1/8 teaspoon of annatto oil in a wide oval shape nearly to the edge of the paper. Add about 2 tablespoons of masa, then spread in a wide oval over the annatto oil, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border of paper uncovered. Add about 2 to 3 teaspoons crab to the center of the masa, taking care not to overfill. Fold the paper in half, creating a half-moon shape, and seal the edge by pressing the masa lightly with your fingers, careful not to let the filling spill out. Stack carefully on a plate or baking sheet, and return to the fridge until ready to fry. (These fry up best when they've had time to rest in the refrigerator. If you'd like to prepare these ahead of time, you can refrigerate them for several hours, or store in the freezer for several months. They can be fried directly from the freezer.)
- In a deep, heavy-bottomed pan or deep fryer, bring about 2 inches of vegetable oil (at least 4 cups) to a simmer over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer. Working in batches, carefully transfer each alcapurria to the simmering oil, sliding it off the paper onto your hand, then carefully dropping in the oil. Gently nudge the alcapurrias with heat-safe tongs to prevent them from sticking. (The filling may burst through the edges, causing oil to splatter, so keep a splatter guard handy, if you have one.) Turn each fritter a few times until evenly dark golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from oil and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and cook remaining alcapurrias. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before eating, as they are quite hot. Sprinkle each bite with your hot sauce of choice.
DELICIOUS ALCAPURRIAS
I LOVE LOVE LOVE alcapurrias. Reminds me of summer. This is the best recipe. It does take a bit of work but its soooo worth it. Once the Masa and the Meat are cold, the time will go fast. They taste AMAZING!!!
Provided by Cat-602
Categories Puerto Rican
Time P2DT2h
Yield 20 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- MASA.
- In a food proccesor/blender add the first 4 ingredents together. Its a large batter so you may have to break it into 2 or 3 batches. I use the Ninja and it works BEAUTIFULY.
- Once all ingredients are blended put in a large bowl then mix the 3 packets of Sazon and Salt. Yes it is a lot of salt but it won't taste the same with out it. Use a potato masher to mix well. Taste Masa to see if more salt is needed. When fryed you won't taste the salt.
- NOTE: Put in fridge over night. Meat mixture CAN NOT be use while hot. The meat will melt the Masa.
- MEAT.
- In a large pot add ALL the ingredients and allow to simmer for 45 minute.
- NOTE: Put in fridge over night. Meat mixture CAN NOT be use while hot. The meat will melt the Masa. (I put this in twice because its VERY important).
- Once both Masa and Meat are cold you can start to make your Alcapurrias. You will need LOTS of wax paper cut into large squares. Fold the wax paper in half and make a rectange that will fit your entire hand. The wax paper will be good for 3 or 4 Alcapurrias. After that it breaks apart. You can always use your bare hands but it gets messy.
- With a large spoon, place a huge scoop of Masa in the middle of the wax paper in your hand. Spreed the masa so it covers from wrist to finger with a nice think layer. Then place 2 or 3 tbs of the meat in the middle of the Masa.
- Fold your hand over and cover the meat with the Masa. Make sure the meat is not exposed. Use as much Masa as you need to cover the meat all the way around. It shoud look like a bullet.
- Place your finished Alcapurrias on a cookie sheet until ready to fry.
- Warm oil to 350.
- Once you have made enough Alcapurrias to fit in your deep pan you can start to fry them.
- They will need to fry for 10 minute Try one and if the Masa is still raw in the middle leave the Alcapurrias on longer. If turning too brown before its ready lower your heat.
- This is a long process but its worth it.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 355.2, Fat 34.6, SaturatedFat 5, Cholesterol 7.7, Sodium 275.3, Carbohydrate 10.7, Fiber 1.1, Sugar 5.2, Protein 2.7
ALCAPURRIAS DE JUEYES
The fritters known as alcapurrias are the ultimate street food on the island. I remember taking road trips with my family to the east coast just to indulge in this amazing treat. The most popular places to get alcapurrias de jueyes (crab-stuffed fritters) are in a small town called Luquillo, famous for its colorful roadside stands known as Los Kioskos de Luquillo, and in the town of Loíza, popular for their fogones (wood-burning pits).
Provided by Food Network
Categories side-dish
Time 3h50m
Yield 10 to 15 fritters
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- For the masa: Peel and cut the taro roots and bananas into small chunks. Grate the taro and bananas in a food processor fitted with the shredding blade (see Cook's Note). Transfer to a medium bowl. Change the blade on the food processor to the cutting blade. Add the shredded vegetables, lard, adobo and sazón and puree until it forms a dough. Transfer to the same medium bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- For the fritters: To prepare the crab filling, heat the lard in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crabmeat, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes. Stir in the sofrito, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook until opaque, about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
- To form the alcapurrias, spray a sheet of aluminum foil or wax paper with olive oil cooking spray, put about 1/4 cup of the dough on the foil and form into a patty. Place 1 tablespoon of the crab filling in the center of the dough, fold up one side of the foil over the dough and roll it while gently pressing down to form a log 4 to 5 inches long. Fold in the sides of the foil or wax paper. If the dough feels soft, refrigerate for a few minutes until firm before frying. Repeat with the remaining masa and crab filling.
- Pour about 2 inches oil in a large saute pan or deep large skillet and heat over high heat until very hot. Peel away the foil or wax paper from 3 alcapurrias and gently slide or roll into the hot oil and cook until deep golden brown all over and firm to the touch, 5 to 7 minutes. Repeat with the remaining alcapurrias.
- Drain on paper towels and allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve with hot sauce.
Tips:
- For the best flavor, use ripe plantains. You can tell if a plantain is ripe if its skin is mostly yellow with some black spots.
- Make sure to boil the plantains until they are very soft. This will make them easier to mash and will help the alcapurrias hold together.
- If the alcapurria dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. If it is too dry, add a little more water.
- Be careful when frying the alcapurrias. They can splatter hot oil, so it is important to use a deep fryer or a large pot with high sides.
- Serve the alcapurrias hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Conclusion:
Alcapurrias are a delicious and easy-to-make Puerto Rican dish that can be enjoyed as an appetizer or a main course. They are a great way to use up ripe plantains, and they are sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
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