Llapingachos (pronounced yah-peen-gah-chos) are fried potato and cheese cakes from Ecuador. Usually served with a peanut sauce, coriander and chopped salsa and for those who like it hotter, quick pickled red onions and extra chilli are ideal.
🥘 2 pans 🍽 Serves 4 ⏱ 50 mins
🛒 14 ingredients €6 (V)
- 1 kg floury potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
- vegetable oil
- 2 small red onions, 1 finely chopped, 1 thinly sliced
- 2 tsp ground paprika
- 100g cheddar, grated
- 1 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 75g unsweetened peanut butter
- 50ml whole milk
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
- coriander a small bunch, leaves picked and finely chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the quick pickled onions
1 red onion, peeled and very finely sliced, Juice of ½ a lime and salt.
Step by step:
- For the pickled onions, place the sliced onion in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 5 minutes, then drain. Return the drained onion to the bowl and pour over the lime juice. Add salt to taste before serving.
- Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water for 15-20 minutes, until just tender, then drain well and leave to steam dry in the pan for about 5 minutes.
- Put a good measure of oil in a frying pan to generously coat the base. Place over a moderate heat and add the chopped onion and the paprika and fry for about 8-10 minutes, until the onion is soft. Put to one side.
- In a food processor, blend the peanut butter with the fried onion mixture, the milk and the cumin to form a sauce-like consistency. Cook in a small pan over a very gentle heat for about 5 minutes to warm and thicken slightly. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
- Mix the sliced onion with the lime juice and a good pinch of salt. Leave to macerate for at least 2 minutes. Mix in the tomatoes and coriander and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and put to one side.
- Make small golf-ball-size balls with the potato mixture and flatten each into a patty shape. Dust the potatoes in flour and shallow-fry in a little oil over a moderate heat for about 2 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Be careful as you turn the patties over – they will be very delicate. Serve topped with the peanut sauce, tomato and onion salad and quick pickled onions. Add chilli sauce or sliced green chilli, if you like.
Notes:
Add chopped chicken or flaked fish if you like. Make sure you have a good slotted metal spatula handy for lifting the delicate potato cakes.
Adapted from New Kitchen Basics by Claire Thomson (Quadrille, £25)
HEAL 