Hispanic Heritage · Puerto Rico

Norte

San Juan · Santurce · Río Piedras · Loíza · Piñones · Carolina

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Alcapurrias de carne

Descubre

Explore Puerto Rico’s north coast through alcapurrias: fritters with a savory filling enclosed in seasoned masa. The golden exterior gives way to a soft center, making the first bite a lesson in contrast.

La Gente

Prepare and cool the filling before shaping the fritters. An even layer of masa helps keep it enclosed during frying. Work in small batches and follow the oil-temperature guidance for consistent color and texture.

Sabor

The north cooks in color. Annatto stains the masa and the rice, sofrito goes into everything with a lid on it, and the fritters get their seasoning from the filling rather than the crust. This is the kitchen of sazón, adobo, olives, and oil.

Spice DNA · Herb high · Acid low · Heat low · Smoke low · Sweet none

Seasonings to explore

• Sazón with Coriander and Annatto. In the picadillo and, if you do not have achiote oil, in the masa. This is the orange.
• Adobo with Pepper. On the ground beef before it hits the pan.
• Oregano, whole. In the picadillo, always.
• Minced Garlic in Olive Oil. In the sofrito and a spoon in the masa.
• Complete Seasoning. The all-purpose jar in every north coast kitchen, on the plate of the day.
• Bay leaves, whole. One in the picadillo.

From your market: green bananas, yautía, ground beef, tomato sauce, manzanilla olives, a green pepper, an onion, and cilantro or recao for the sofrito. If you can find land crab, you are already halfway to Piñones.

Cocina

Alcapurrias de carne

Green banana and yautía masa, filled with picadillo, fried until the outside is dark and crisp. The kiosks make them over wood. A heavy pot on the stove does the job.

Makes about 12

The picadillo

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• ½ green bell pepper, minced
• 1 tbsp Badia Minced Garlic in Olive Oil, or 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp cilantro or recao, chopped
• 1 tsp Badia Adobo with Pepper
• 1 tsp Badia Sazón with Coriander and Annatto
• ½ tsp Badia Oregano, whole, crumbled
• 1 Badia Bay Leaf, whole
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• ¼ cup manzanilla olives, sliced

The masa

• 5 green bananas (guineos verdes), peeled
• 1 lb yautía, peeled
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Badia Sazón with Coriander and Annatto
• 1½ tsp salt
• Oil for frying

1. Picadillo first. Warm the olive oil over medium. Cook the onion and pepper until soft, then the garlic and cilantro for a minute. Add the beef and break it up. Season with adobo, sazón, oregano, and the bay leaf and cook until the beef has lost its pink. Add tomato sauce and olives and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, until it is thick and almost dry. A wet filling will break the fritter. Cool it completely. Remove the bay leaf.
2. The masa. Grate the green bananas and yautía on the fine side of a box grater into a bowl. It will be sticky and pale. Stir in the olive oil, sazón, and salt. The masa should be a deep orange and hold its shape on a spoon. If it is very wet, let it sit 15 minutes and pour off any liquid.
3. Shape. Lay a square of parchment or plastic wrap on your palm and oil it lightly. Spoon on 3 tablespoons of masa and flatten it into an oval. Put a heaping tablespoon of picadillo down the center. Use the parchment to fold the masa over the filling and seal the seams with wet fingers into a torpedo shape. Set on a tray. Repeat.
4. Chill. Refrigerate the shaped alcapurrias 30 minutes. They fry cleaner cold.
5. Fry. Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350°F. Fry three or four at a time, turning once, 6 to 8 minutes, until they are deep brown and crisp. Do not crowd the pot. Drain on a rack.
6. Serve hot, with hot sauce on the table and a cold drink. The first one goes to whoever grated the yautía.

Pueblos del Norte

San Juan · Santurce · Río Piedras · Loíza · Piñones · Carolina · Canóvanas · Trujillo Alto · Guaynabo · Bayamón · Cataño · Toa Baja · Toa Alta · Dorado · Vega Baja · Manatí · Arecibo · Luquillo · Río Grande · Fajardo

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