Air-Frying Alcapurrias: A Tasty, Healthy Twist?

Alcapurrias are Puerto Rican fritters made with a puree of green bananas and yautía and stuffed with picadillo or seasoned ground beef. They are traditionally deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. However, you can also cook alcapurrias in an air fryer if you're looking for a healthier alternative. To do this, preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the alcapurrias for 10-12 minutes, or until they have a firm texture. They won't have the same dark colour as deep-fried alcapurrias, but they will still be delicious!

Alcapurrias ingredients

Alcapurrias are a Puerto Rican fritter made with a dough called masa, which is typically made from yautía (a root vegetable) and green bananas. The fritters are then filled with a savoury meat filling.

Making the Masa

To make the masa, you will need to peel and cut the green bananas and yautía into 1-inch cubes. You can also add yuca, taro root, or pumpkin to the masa. Add the vegetables to a food processor or blender in small batches, along with some salt, achiote or annatto oil, and vinegar. Blend until a smooth masa is formed.

Meat Filling

For the meat filling, you can use ground beef, chicken, crab, shrimp, or turkey. To prepare the beef, season with lime juice, salt, adobo, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and other spices of your choice. You can also add diced onion, garlic, and diced tomatoes to the beef mixture. For the chicken filling, you can season with similar spices and herbs, and add in some diced onion and garlic. If you opt for crab or shrimp, you can season with lime juice, salt, pepper, and other spices, and perhaps add some diced onion and garlic.

For the turkey filling, coat the ground meat with a seasoned tomato-oil based sauce. You can make this sauce by combining olive oil, tomato sauce, minced garlic, sofrito (a puree of various condiments), green olives, and Lite salt. You can also add cilantro, capers, and diced ham to this mixture.

Assembly

Once you have prepared the masa and filling, you can assemble the alcapurrias. You can use a banana leaf or parchment paper brushed with oil to shape the alcapurria. Spoon some masa onto the leaf or paper and spread it into a circle. Then, add the filling to the centre. Finally, cover the filling completely with more masa, forming a cylinder or half-moon shape.

You can now cook your alcapurrias in an air fryer, following the instructions outlined previously.

How to make the dough

Alcapurrias are Puerto Rican fritters made with a dough called masa and a picadillo filling. The dough is made with green plantains and yautia (taro root or malanga).

To make the dough, you will need green plantains and yautia, which you can find in Latin markets or speciality stores. The dough can be made in a food processor by grating or blending the plantains and yautia into a smooth consistency. You can also use a box grater with a super fine blade to grate the roots.

Once you have a smooth dough, add salt to taste and annatto oil (or achiote oil). Annatto oil can be made by heating 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil with 1/3 cup of annatto seeds in a saucepan over low heat until the oil turns red-orange (about 2-3 minutes). Be careful not to overheat the oil. Strain the oil with a fine-mesh sieve and discard the seeds. You can also buy annatto oil or seeds at Latin supermarkets.

After adding the oil and salt to the dough, mix until the colour is uniform. The dough is now ready to be filled and shaped.

How to make the filling

To make the filling for alcapurrias, you'll need ground beef, which is seasoned with lime juice, salt, adobo, cumin, oregano, and other Latin spices. You can also add in sofrito, tomato sauce, onions, peppers, olives, and raisins. If the picadillo dries up, add a little water. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the beef is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.

You can also make the filling with ground turkey, which is cooked in annatto oil and seasoned with lite salt, garlic, tomato sauce, green olives, cilantro, capers, and diced ham.

For a vegetarian option, you can fill your alcapurrias with a mixture of cheeses, such as mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan. You could also add in some vegetables, such as spinach or mushrooms, to boost the flavour.

Once you've made your filling of choice, you can start assembling your alcapurrias. Place a spoonful of the filling in the centre of your dough, making sure to leave a few inches of dough around the edges of the filling. Close the fritters by wrapping the dough around the filling and shaping them into cylinders.

Cooking time and temperature

Yes, you can cook alcapurrias in an air fryer. However, they may turn out drier than deep-fried alcapurrias. The cooking time and temperature for air-fried alcapurrias vary across sources.

One source recommends preheating the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 minutes. Then, place the alcapurrias inside the air fryer and cook them at the same temperature for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they have a firm texture. Flip the alcapurrias halfway through the cooking process.

Another source suggests cooking alcapurrias at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside. However, this source recommends freezing the alcapurrias before air frying to prevent them from falling apart.

A third source provides a different approach, suggesting a cooking temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.

It is important to note that the cooking time and temperature may depend on the size and model of your air fryer, as well as your personal preference for the desired level of crispness. As always, refer to the manufacturer's instructions for your specific air fryer model to ensure optimal results.

Reheating and storing

When reheating alcapurrias, you can use a microwave, an oven, or an air fryer. To reheat in the oven, set the temperature to 250°F and heat for 10 minutes until warm in the centre. For the air fryer, set the temperature to 250°F and heat for 5 minutes.

Alcapurrias can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days for optimal freshness. They can also be frozen if you are planning to store them for longer. To freeze, wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container. When you're ready to cook frozen alcapurrias, remove them from the freezer and allow them to thaw for about an hour before frying.

Frequently asked questions