Empanadas de Platano — Print Recipe

Sweet ripe plantain dough stuffed with refried black beans, sealed and deep-fried until golden. A perfect balance of sweet and savory.

Ingredients

1 Boil ripe plantains with skin on until very soft, about twenty minutes. Peel and mash until completely smooth with no lumps.
2 Mix mashed plantain with a tablespoon of sugar and pinch of cinnamon. The dough should be pliable and slightly sticky.
3 Take a ball of plantain dough, flatten in your palm, place a spoonful of refried beans in the center.
4 Fold the dough over the filling and seal the edges by pressing firmly. Shape into a half-moon.
5 Fry in hot oil at 175C until deep golden brown, about three minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
6 Dust with sugar while still warm and serve immediately for the best contrast of crispy exterior and soft filling.

Did You Know?

Salvadoran empanadas de platano are unique in Central America because they use ripe plantain as the dough instead of wheat flour or corn masa.