Alcapurrias
A Puerto Rican classic, made with seasoned ground beef enveloped in a masa of green bananas and yautía.
By: Carolina Ginorio | @caroginorio_pr
Alcapurrias are street food of the highest order—typically enjoyed by people who’ve spent all day at the beach and served on the side of the road. This popular Puerto Rican fritura is made from a masa of plantains and yautía filled with ground beef and fried to crispy perfection. Usually, they’re about 4 inches long, but in Puerto Rico, you’ll find some places that will make them up to 2 feet long as a tourist attraction.
For this recipe, we’re sticking to the standard, more manageable size. At home, I use wax paper to form the iconic half-moon shape for my alcapurria, but back on the island, people often use a banana leaf or grape leaf they picked that morning from the beach. I’ve also used a classic beef picadillo filling for this recipe, but you can find them filled with seafood, pernil, or many other fillings. Feel free to get creative with your favorite fillings. I like to enjoy my alcapurria with a little bit of hot sauce, but mayoketchup is always a welcome addition — and they’re perfectly delicious all on their own! Whichever way you choose to make them, I hope they bring you a little taste of Puerto Rico.