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Aborrajados
Serves 4 Prep 25 min Cook 15 min Total 40 min Type Snack Origin Colombian

Aborrajados

Ripe sweet plantain stuffed with melting cheese, then dipped in a sweet batter and deep-fried until the outside crackles. The Valle del Cauca (south-western Colombia) snack par excellence - sweet, savoury, gooey, all in one bite. Eats hot, the cheese pulling in long strings when you tear it open.

Serves 4 Prep 25 minutes Cook 15 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Very ripe (almost black-skinned) plantains peel and slice in half lengthways, then in half crossways, four pieces per plantain. Each piece pan-fries briefly in oil to soften, then mashes between two pieces of parchment with a flat saucepan to flatten to a disc. A cube of cheese sits between two flattened discs, sandwiching the cheese. The whole package dips in a sweet batter of flour, egg, sugar and milk, then deep-fries golden.

Ingredients

Plantain

  • 4 very ripe plantains (black-spotted skin - almost black)
  • 4 tablespoons neutral oil (for the first fry)

Filling

  • 200 g mozzarella (or queso fresco, cut into 8 cubes about 2 × 2 × 1 ½ cm)

Batter

  • 100 g plain flour
  • 2 eggs (large)
  • 100 ml whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

Frying

  • 600 ml neutral oil

Method

Stage 1 - Soften plantain

  1. Peel the plantains; halve lengthways, then halve crossways (16 pieces total).
  2. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
  3. Fry the plantain pieces 2 minutes per side till tender and lightly browned.
  4. Lift onto paper.

Stage 2 - Flatten and stuff

  1. Place a piece of plantain between two sheets of parchment.
  2. Press flat with the bottom of a heavy saucepan to a disc about 5 mm thick.
  3. Place a cube of cheese on one flattened plantain.
  4. Top with another flattened plantain to sandwich the cheese.
  5. Press the edges gently to seal.
  6. Repeat for 8 sandwiches total.

Stage 3 - Batter

  1. Whisk flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a wide bowl.
  2. Whisk in eggs, milk and vanilla until smooth.
  3. The batter should be like thick double cream.

Stage 4 - Fry

  1. Heat the oil to 175°C.
  2. Dip each plantain sandwich into the batter to coat.
  3. Lower into the oil 2-3 at a time.
  4. Fry 3 minutes per side till deep amber-gold and crisp.
  5. Lift onto a wire rack.

Stage 5 - Serve

  1. Eat immediately, hot - the cheese needs to be molten.

Notes

  • Very ripe plantain or fail: under-ripe plantains are starchy and bland. Black-skinned plantains have the deep banana sweetness aborrajados need.
  • Seal the edges: loose-edged sandwiches leak cheese into the oil. Press the edges firmly when stacking.
  • Sweet batter is correct: Colombian aborrajados use a faintly sweet batter (the sugar amount is small but noticeable). It contrasts with the savoury cheese inside.

Storage

  • Best within 10 minutes of frying.
  • Reheats poorly - the cheese turns rubbery on reheat. Fry to order.
  • Prepared (unfried) sandwiches keep 1 day refrigerated; batter and fry from cold.

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