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!

Steps:

• In a small saucepan heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with the annatto seeds until the olive oil changes color; it should be a mild orange/red. Strain and set aside.
• Using a food processor, process the yautia and green plantain on medium speed until nice and smooth; add the salt and strained annatto oil. Now you have a fresh masa; place in the refrigerator.
• Preheat a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sofrito. Stir-fry for 1 minute and add the ground beef. Brown the beef and add the Latin seasoning mix, garlic powder, onion powder and oregano mixing well. Add the beef stock and simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes. Remove the beef from the heat, strain the raisins and add them to the beef mixture mixing well. Set aside to cool.
• Remove the masa from the refrigerator and using 1 to 2 tablespoons (depending on how large you want them) scoop out of the bowl and into the palm of your water moistened hand patting into a round disk to prepare it for the filling (the masa can be a little too pliable; if you notice that you can't form a round disk, place the masa in the refrigerator to firm it up before proceeding). Add a teaspoon or more of beef mixture to the center of the masa and using a patting motion (as if you were making a snow ball) pat the masa around the beef to form a ball being very careful not to let the beef stick out of the plantain. Continue forming the balls until both mixtures are finished. Leftovers of either can be saved for your next meal (I'll show you what to do with them in a future recipe).
• Preheat a large Dutch oven on high and add enough oil to comfortably fry the Alcapurias (about 2 to 3 cups). (Heat the oil to 350 degrees F if you are frying them fresh; if frozen, lower the temperature to 325 degrees F.) When the oil has reached the desired temperature, carefully add the alcapurias 1 at a time making sure not to crowd the pan. Remove and drain on a thick bed of paper towels; transfer to a cooling rack once drained and store in a warm oven until you have completed frying them all.
• To serve: Alcapurias can be placed on a dish and passed around to your guests or on a serving platter and placed on your buffet. They do not require a sauce, topping or dip of any kind. Their unique taste will carry them on your buffet all on their own!

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.

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.

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.