One of the best part of visiting with farmers is that we always end up talking food and family traditions.
Anny Bruch of Baum Farms, Olohena, didn’t skip a beat when asked her favorite Bolivian family dish: Patacones. The dish originates in Latin American and is also called tostones, tachinos, chatinos, platano verde frito, tajadas, bananes pesées or patacón pisao. Patacones can be made with most green bananas grown locally, but are traditionally prepared with green Horn Plantains, also known locally as Puerto Rican Plantains.
PATACONES
Double-fried Green Plantain Fritters
Recipe by Anabella Bruch, Baum Farms
✩ Green Plantains
✩ Coconut oil for frying
✩ Sea salt, to taste
- Make a slight cut on the peel lengthwise, then peel plantain.
Cut crosswise into 1 1/2 inch chunks. - Heat the oil in a large skillet. On medium.
Place the plantains in the oil, fry until it changes color, turn to do other side; approximately 2-3 minutes per side. - Remove the plantains from the pan.
Take parchment paper or similar and put a chunk in between.
Flatten the plantains by placing a glass, small plate or aluminum can, over the fried plantains and pressing down (smash ʻem until they are like little fat pancakes). - Return them to the medium hot oil and fry 1 minute on each side. Drain oil, salt to taste and serve immediately.
Buen provecho!