Piononos Recipes

PIANONO (FILIPINO SPONGE CAKE ROLL)

Steps:

• Separate egg yolks from egg whites.
• In a bowl, beat the egg whites using a mixer at low speed for 1 minute or until frothy.
• Sprinkle the cream of tartar on top and continue beating until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, a tablespoon at a time, while continuously beating. Once all sugar is added, turn up the speed to medium and continue beating the meringue until it forms stiff glossy peaks.
• In a large bowl, cream together the egg yolks, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until it becomes light in texture and color.
• Sift the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder and add to the egg yolk mixture. Mix well.
• Gently fold in a third of the meringue into the egg mixture and then add the rest and fold until well combined.
• Pour the batter into a 15x10x1-inch pan lined with wax or parchment paper.
• Bake in a 375 F oven for about 15 minutes or until the cake is golden.
• Remove from the oven and loosen the edges of the cake. Transfer the cake including the wax paper to a rack and allow to cool.
• Dust a wax or parchment paper with powdered sugar and invert cake onto the paper. Gently peel the other wax paper off the cake.
• Beginning with the narrow side, roll the cake up together with the wax paper. Let it cool down completely, seam side down, for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Once the cake has cooled, gently unroll and spread cake with softened margarine and sprinkle with granulated sugar and re-roll.
• Cut into 1-inch thick slices to serve.

PIONONOS

Steps:

• For the picadillo: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the onions are translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and break up the meat with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomato paste, adobo, sazón and tomato sauce until combined. Season with salt and pepper and cook, continuing to break up the meat until it is browned, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Finally, add the cilantro and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
• For the plantains: Pour 1 inch of oil into a large saute pan or deep large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Line a plate with paper towels.
• Using a sharp knife, trim off both ends of a plantain. Slit a thin line down the plantain, cutting just through the skin, and peel back the skin to remove it. Repeat with the remaining plantains. Slice each plantain lengthwise into 5 to 6 strips.
• Fry the plantains 2 or 3 strips at a time until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining strips.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan. Line the sides of the muffin cups with the longer plantain strips, then use trimmed pieces to cover the bottoms of the muffin cups.
• Spoon the picadillo into the plantain-lined muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Top each with a spoonful of the beaten eggs to help them hold together.
• Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the edges before removing the piononos from the muffin cups. Serve hot or warm.

PIONONOS

Steps:

• Slice plantains lengthwise into 8 strips. Fry in vegetable oil until golden & remove. Add olive oil & stir in sirloin. Add next 3 ingredients & stir. Add remaining ingredients except eggs & cook 4 minutes.
• Coil plantains into 3" circles & secure with toothpicks. Pack centers with meat mixture to make firm patties. Coat patties with beaten eggs & deep fry until golden brown.
• Serve with rice & salsa.

PIONONOS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cut ends from plantains and peel fruit. Cut each plantain lengthwise into 4 slices. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté slices in batches, without crowding, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes on each side (use 2 spatulas to turn slices). With a spatula transfer plantains as sautéed to brown paper to drain. When plantains are cool enough to handle, shape each slice into a ring, with ends overlapping by about 1 inch, and secure ends with a wooden pick. Arrange rings, without touching, in a large baking dish and fill centers with black beans.
• Bake rolls in middle of oven until beans are heated through, about 10 minutes. Mound Monterey Jack on top of beans and bake until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

LOBSTER PIONONO

Steps:

• For the plantains: Cut off ends and peel plantain. Slice lengthwise at 1/4-inch intervals. Pan fry lightly on both sides then drain on paper towels. While warm, curve one end to the other and pinch to form circles.
• For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a large saute pan, and saute lobster, sofrito, and tomato. Add the tomato juice and let simmer for 10 minutes. Finish with cilantro, salt and pepper. Add bread crumbs and stir until mixture is thick enough to spoon into the plantain "shells". Chill the mixture over an ice bath.
• To finish the pionono, fill round plantain "shells" with lobster mixture. Preheat 1/4-inch of vegetable oil in a saute pan. Dredge piononos through flour then beaten egg. Pan fry until brown on 1 side, then turn over and finish cooking in the oven for 10 minutes.