Alcapurrias (Puerto Rico)

World-Bites (29) / Alcapurrias


Say the word "alcapurrias," and most Puerto Ricans think "beach food." These scrumptious fritters are usually made with a batter of taro (yautía) and green bananas (guineos verdes), and are stuffed with either a meat (pino) filling or with crab, shrimp or lobster. Sold by vendors on the beach, they make a great snack for hungry stomachs after a long day in the sun.

Ingredients

* Yautía (taro root) -- 1 pound
* Green bananas -- 4
* Sazón seasoning (optional) -- 2 teaspoons
* Salt -- 1 teaspoon
* Pino filling -- 2 cups
* Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Peel the yautía and grate it on a fine grater into a large bowl. Next peel the green bananas and grate them into the same bowl. Add the sazón and salt and mix together well. Place the masa, or batter, in a food processor and pulse until the batter is fairly smooth.
2. Cut a banana leaf or a piece of wax or parchment paper into a round slightly larger than your hand. Put about 1/2 cup of the batter onto the round and spread it out a bit. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pino filling in the middle of the batter. Using the round, fold the batter up and around the filling, completely enclosing it. Form the batter into a smooth, oval round and set it aside. Continue with the remaining batter and filling until it is used up.
3. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large pan or deep fryer to about 370°F. Drop a few of the alcapurrias at a time into the oil and fry until well browned on one side. Flip and brown well on the second side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining alcapurrias.
4. Serve hot with a hefty dash of hot pepper sauce.