Ingredients

  • 5 medium green bananas
  • 1 lb taro root (yauta)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 lb ground beef (The Filliing)
  • 1 tablespoon sofrito sauce
  • 1 tablespoon alcaparrado (mix of olives, pimientos and capers)
  • salt and pepper
  • vegetable oil (for frying)

Method

  • Peel the green bananas and place in a bowl of cold salted water.
  • Peel and wash the yautias and place in a bowl of cold salted water.
  • Grate the bananas and yautias. 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.