Alcapurria

Alcapurria is a cherished fritter dish from Puerto Rico that promises to tantalize your taste buds. Its dough primarily consists of green bananas and grated xanthosoma, known locally as yautía. The typical filling is ground beef, referred to as picadillo, although versions with corned beef or seafood are also popular.

To prepare alcapurria, the masa dough needs to be refrigerated for several hours until it firms up. Once the dough is ready, it is filled with the meat mixture and then deep-fried to golden perfection.

There are several delightful variations of alcapurria on the island. One popular version is alcapurria de yuca, which features a dough made from cassava and yautía, often stuffed with savory crab meat. For this variation, the cassava is grated, squeezed to remove excess liquid, and then combined with yautía and annatto oil. Another variation blends plantains, squash, and yautía masa, filled with your choice of meat.

You can easily find alcapurrias at food stands and cuchifritos (fried food eateries) across Puerto Rico, making them an essential part of the island's diverse culinary scene.