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¡mas llapingachos por favor!

Celestina9000 avatar
Recipe by
C G
@Celestina9000
Vallèe du Willamette, OR

My first venture into Latin American cuisine. Inspired by a trip a friend made in 2008 to Ecuador. Ground achiote powder & cooking oil replaced store bought achiote oil. Please note that turmeric or saffron cannot replace achiote. Their flavors are completely different. It is what gives the potato cakes their distinctive flavor. My understanding is that llapingachos are typically served alongside a fried egg, & a simple salad consisting of lettuce, tomato slices (that is if you're not serving them w/ the red onion relish); avocado & lime wedges. From ciaprochef.com.

yield 24 patties
method Stove Top

Ingredients For ¡mas llapingachos por favor!

  • LLAPINGACHOS
  • 4
    medium russet potatoes, peeled and quartered (or similar potato)
  • 1 Tbsp
    salt
  • 3-4
    medium scallions, finely minced
  • 1/2 c
    mexican queso fresco, crumbled (which replaced impossible to find ecuadoran 'quesillo'
  • 1/2 tsp
    cracked black pepper
  • salt, to taste
  • 1/4 cup corn oil (or similar oil-safflower, sunflower, etc.)
  • 1 tsp
    ground achiote/annatto (do not omit!)
  • RED ONION RELISH
  • 1
    medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced into slivers
  • 2 Tbsp
    fresh lime juice
  • 2
    salt, to taste
  • 2
    medium tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
  • 1-2
    fresh cayenne or serrano peppers, seeded, deveined and finely minced (more or less depending on how spicy you want it)
  • 1-2 Tbsp
    fresh cilantro, minced

How To Make ¡mas llapingachos por favor!

  • 1
    Make the ACHIOTE OIL: Place the (corn) oil and 1 teaspoon of ground achiote in a saucepan. Use a fork to whisk together then gently heat the mixture on medium-low heat until warm. Set aside 5-10 minutes to infuse.
  • 2
    COOKING THE POTATOES: Place the potatoes in a medium pot with 2 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Simmer until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain and mash, leaving the mixture slightly chunky.
  • 3
    MIXING AND SHAPING: When the puree cools a bit, but is still warm to the touch, add the scallions, cheese, black pepper, and salt. Mix well. Divide the puree into 24 balls—about one heaping tablespoon of puree for each ball. Flatten the balls to form patties 1 ½-inch wide by ½-inch thick. *Let cool for at least twenty minutes before cooking, otherwise they will stick to the pan and fall apart.*
  • 4
    COOKING THE LLAPINGACHOS: When the patties are cool and firm to the touch, heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet. Add 1 ounce achiote oil and about 10 patties but do not crowd. Cook for 3 minutes at low heat to form a crust. With a narrow spatula, flip the patties over and brown them on the other side on medium heat for three minutes. Repeat the process with rest of the llapingachos.
  • 5
    RED ONION RELISH: Place onions in a medium bowl with the lime juice. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, hot peppers, and cilantro. Season with salt to taste. Serve at room temperature.
  • 6
    Serve llapingachos hot with a dollop of red onion relish. Note: Servings are estimated as an appetizer.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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