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Bolón de verde con queso
Plantain and cheese balls
Ecuadorian coastal breakfast balls of fried green plantain mashed with cheese and butter
On Ecuador's coast, in Guayaquil and Manabí, breakfast is often a bolón: green plantain fried, pounded while hot with butter and salty cheese, shaped into a fist-sized ball and fried again until crusty. It comes with a cup of strong black coffee and a fried egg, and a little ají on the side; the other classic version uses pork crackling, but cheese bolón is just as common. Chef's tip: shape them while the plantain is still hot; once cold the starch sets and won't stick together.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 green (unripe) plantainspeeled, in 3 cm chunks
- 5 tbsp vegetable oildivided
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 5 ½ oz salty white cheese (queso costeño, feta or halloumi)grated or crumbled
- ½ tsp saltto taste
- 4 fried eggs (optional)to serve
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: To peel green plantains, cut off the ends, slit the skin lengthways and prise it off with your thumb.
Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp of 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Fry 4 green (unripe) plantains for 12–15 minutes, turning, until soft right through and pale golden. A fork should go in with no resistance. Common mistake: high heat; the outside browns while the inside stays hard and won't mash.
15 minStep 3: While still hot, mash with 1 ⅜ oz butter in a bowl, or pound in a mortar, until it holds together with some small lumps. Mix in 5 ½ oz salty white cheese (queso costeño, feta or halloumi) and ½ tsp salt.
Step 4: With wet hands, quickly shape into 4 tight balls.
Step 5: Heat the rest of 2 tbsp vegetable oil in the pan over a medium heat and fry the balls, turning, for 6–8 minutes until crusty and golden all over. Serve hot with 4 fried eggs and coffee.
8 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 500 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bolón de verde con queso take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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