Plantain Empanadas with Cheese

Plantain Empanadas with Cheese

“Empanadas de Verde con Queso”

Ingredients

4 green (unripe) plantains

1 onion

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic salt

1 egg yolk

2 Tbsp butter

1 ½ cups grated cheese (Monterey jack, cheddar, or mozzarella)

2 Tbsp cream cheese

Dash of salt and pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Peel two plantains, cut into 1 inch pieces.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook plantains until tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté onions in vegetable oil with one tsp of cumin and garlic salt. Set aside and let cool.

When plantains are done, drain and place in a bowl with butter and mash thoroughly. 

Add the egg yolk and mix well.

Peel the remaining two plantains and grate with a cheese grater. 

Add the grated plantains to the mashed mixture and knead them together to made a smooth dough.

Mix in a dash salt and pepper to dough. If mixture is too dry, add a little more butter or Tbsp of water.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

Mix grated cheese and cream cheese to the onions to make the filling.

Take a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and flatten it into a rough circle between two pieces of plastic wrap.  Wet the edges of the circle with water

Place a heaping spoon full of the filling into the middle, then fold the dough over the filling to make a semi-circle and press edges together to seal.

Heat several inches of vegetable oil in a deep pan to 360^O. Fry empanadas in batches until golden brown and crispy.  Drain on paper towels.  Sprinkle with coarse salt if desired.

Makes 8-10 empanadas.