Bolón de Verde (Ecuadorian Plantain Balls)
Bolón de verde: Ecuadorian green plantain balls mashed with butter and stuffed with fresh cheese or pork cracklings. A classic breakfast served with fried eggs and coffee.
Ingredients
- 4 green plantains peeled, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- vegetable oil for frying
- 3 tbsp butter or lard
- 1 cup queso fresco crumbled
- 1 cup chicharrón (pork cracklings) chopped, optional
- 1/2 tsp ground annatto (achiote) optional
- salt to taste
To serve
- fried eggs
- black coffee
Instructions
- Fry the plantain pieces in oil over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until soft inside and lightly golden. You can also boil them in salted water for 20 minutes.
- While still hot, mash them in a bowl with the butter, salt and annatto until you get a dough with some small chunks.
- Mix half of the cheese and half of the cracklings into the dough.
- Take orange-sized portions, make a hole in the center, fill with more cheese or cracklings and close them into compact balls.
- For a crispy crust, brown the bolones in a skillet with a little oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Serve hot with fried eggs and coffee.