Alcapurrias Recipes

ALCAPURRIAS(PUERTO RICAN STUFFED FRITTERS)

Steps:

• 1. Pino Filling: 1.heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium flame. Sauté the onions until they are translucent, 3-4 minutes 2.Add the garlic, paprika, cuminseed and oregano and sauté 1-2 minutes more 3.Add the ground beef, salt and pepper and sauté, breaking up the beef until it is cooked through, 5-7 minutes. 4.Stir in the water or stock, raisins and olives and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle flour over all and stir in well. Simmer for another 5-8 minutes, or until lightly thickened. Adjust seasoning, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• 2. 1.Peel the yautía and grate it on a fine grater into a large bowl 2.Next peel the green bananas and grate them into the same bowl 3.Add the sazón and salt and mix together well 4.Place the masa, or batter, in a food processor and pulse until the batter is fairly smooth. 5.Cut a banana leaf or a piece of wax or parchment paper into a round slightly larger than your hand 6.Put about 1/2 cup of the batter onto the round and spread it out a bit 7.Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pino filling in the middle of the batter 7.Using the round, fold the batter up and around the filling, completely enclosing it 8.Form the batter into a smooth, oval round and set it aside. 9.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.
• 3. Please Note: •"Green bananas" does not mean bananas that are slightly underripe. It means green green. So green they are a little hard to peel. They can be found in this state at many Latin and Asian markets, but you might have a hard time finding them at most mainstream supermarkets. Ask the produce section people if they have any in the back. Otherwise, use unripe plantains instead. •Raw yautía can irritate some people's skin. You might want to wear rubber gloves when peeling and grating it.
• 4. Variations: •Filling Variations: Try using crabmeat, shrimp, lobster chopped chicken or chopped turkey simmer with a little sofrito. •Masa Variations: Besides yautía and green bananas, try using plantains, yuca (cassava) or potatoes in your masa. Some cooks add a little vinegar to the dough. It both flavors it and probably helps to keep it from browning too much. Chilling the masa first makes it easier to handle. •Alcapurrias freeze well. Place them on a baking sheet and put in the freezer until they are frozen. Then transfer them to an airtight bag and return to the freezer. Drop frozen alcapurrias directly into the hot oil to cook.

ALCAPURRIAS - STUFFED YUCA FRITTERS

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 RECIPE BY TASTY

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

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.

BAKED ALCAPURRIAS

Steps:

• Heat oil and annatto seeds in a saucepan until the oil changes into a red-orange color.
• Strain the annatto oil and set aside.
• Add all the ingredients except ground turkey into a skillet and stir well.
• Saute for 3 to 5 minutes. Place ground turkey into skillet and coat evenly with the seasoned tomato-oil based sauce.
• Stir the meat frequently to obtain a minced texture and avoid any clumps from forming. Cover skillet with lid and cook over medium low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Grate the taro roots and green plantains, using the super fine blade of a box grater.
• Place grated dough into a bowl and add salt and annatto oil. Stir dough until color is uniform.
• Spread ½ teaspoon of annatto oil on a plantain leaf.
• Place ¼ cup of dough on top of plantain leaf.
• Make a well in center of dough and place 1 heaping tablespoonful of meat mixture in the center of dough lengthwise.
• Cover meat filling completely with dough with a spoon.
• Lift plantain leaf with both hands and roll the alcapurria from side to side for a round cylinder shape, approximately 4 to 5 inches long, 1-½ to 2 inches wide and ½ to 1 inch thick.
• Brush a small amount of annatto oil on top of each alcapurria.
• Wrap each alcapurrias in the plantain leaf, folding both sides lengthwise.
• Place wrapped alcapurrias on a baking sheet. Bake in oven for 30 minutes at 350°F.
• Partially unwrap each one, exposing the top part of the alcapurrias. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to brown on top if you so desire.
• Serve warm.

ALCAPURRIAS

Steps:

• Peel the green bananas and place in a bowl of cold salted water.
• Peel and wash the yautías and place in a bowl of cold salted water.
• Grate the bananas and yautías. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and mix well. Set aside.
• Filling
• In a deep pot or frying pan, brown the ground beef. Drain off the fat.
• Add sofrito, alcaparrado mix, and salt and pepper to taste.cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
• Put it together on a piece of wax paper, spread out 1 to 2 tablespoons of the masa mixture and make a shallow well in the center. You can also use the palm of your hand instead of wax paper.
• Put 1 to 2 teaspoons of the filling into the well and cover it with some more masa mix. Use the back of spoon to smooth the masa all around the filling so no meat is showing.
• You can freeze the alcapurrias at this point for eating later.
• Heat enough oil, in a fryer or deep frying pan, to cover the alcapurrias when frying. The oil should be heated to about 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Add the alcapurrias, being careful not to splash the oil or crowd the fryer. Fry until crispy and golden, from 5 to 7 minutes.
• Drain the alcapurrias on paper towels and allow to cool before eating.

ALCAPURRIAS

Steps:

• Instructions: * * * Meat filling * * *.
• You will find the meat filling recipe under the Pastelillos recipe.
• Notice the meat combination of beef, veal and pork. You can leave out the veal and pork if you wish.
• Cut off the ends of the green bananas and with a paring knife make a slit length wise, making sure not to cut to deep, you just want to penetrate the skin.
• Place the bananas in a pan with hot water from the faucet and salt. This will make it easier to peel the skin off the banana.
• Once you have completed this stage, you will notice that the skin has started to come away from the banana.
• Take your knife and just move from side to side in a rocking motion. Do this the length of the banana and notice how easy the skin comes off.
• Place the peeled bananas in a pot with cold water and salt making sure that they are completely covered in water and set aside.
• Follow the same procedure with the green plantains and set aside.
• Peel the yautia and place in a pot with cold salted water.
• Peel the white potato and place in cold salted water.
• If you have or can get hold of a large deep roasting pan it will help you with the next step, and that is the grating part of this recipe. That's right we are going to have to use a grater. If you want a true Alcapurrias we are going to use some elbow grease, no blender or food processor.
• You can start by grating the green bananas right into the roasting pan, followed by the rest of the other vegetables except for the potato, leave that for last. The potato has always been used to clean and remove the residue of the other vegetables.
• Once you have completed the grating add the sofrito and mix thoroughly. Add 1/2; the can of evaporated milk and continue mixing. This would be a good time to add salt and pepper to taste. Now finally you can add the achote colored oil making sure to strain the oil so that none of the achote seeds fall into the mixture. Make sure that the mixture has completely absorbed all of the seasonings. The best way to this is to make sure that your hands have been washed clean and work the mixture like if was a piece of flour dough.
• Once you have completed the mixing of the masa put it in a large covered bowl and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least four hours or preferably over night.
• When you are ready to fry the Alcapurrias, fill a deep fryer or caldero with enough oil or shortening for deep frying and heat to about 360 degrees.
• Make sure to wash your hands and then scoop out level kitchen spoon full of the mixture and place it on the palm of your hand. Add a teaspoon of filling in the center and then fold and roll into a cylinder shape making sure that the filling is well encased into the mixture. Set aside until you have at least two or three to fry at a time.
• Fry the Alcapurrias bathing the top parts by spooning the hot oil over them until golden brown. Don't raise the heat anymore than you have to you want them to fry slowly so that they will cook completely inside.
• Once they are done remove from the fryer and allow them to drain on a paper towel.

ALCAPURRIAS

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.