Ecuadorian Appetizer
Elvira Sanchez de Maliciki was born in the Ecuadorian coastal city of Guayaquil and came to Canada at the age of 14 to study. As a passionate advocate of Canada’s rich cultural diversity, Elvira established the Canadian Hispanic Congress in 1980, a multinational organization representing the more than 700,000 Spanish-speaking peoples from over twenty countries who now make Canada their home. Currently Elvira is working toward the recognition of immigrants’ professional and technical credentials, and to encourage Latin Americans to participate in Canadian politics.
Green Plantain Patties (empanadas de verde)
4 green plantains
salt to taste
1/2 lb./250 g ground beef or chicken
1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 Tbsp./15 mL chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lb./ 250 g cooked peas
1 hard-boiled egg, dices
oil as needed
Boil the plantains in salted water until they are soft. Remove them from the heat and mash them one by one while they are still very hot. Add the salt and continue to mash them until they become a soft dough. Put the dough in a moderate oven to keep warm.
In a skillet add some oil and fry beef or chicken, onion, and carrot over medium heat until cooked. Add the parsley, peas and hard-boiled egg to the meat mixture and cook until the meat is done.
With the plantain dough still hot, place dough on waxed paper and flatten with a rolling pin. Cut out round shapes, fill the centers with some of the meat mixture and fold in half and seal. In a deep fryer or large pot, heat some oil. Deep-fry in the hot oil for a few minutes. Remove from oil and place the empanadas on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
You can make “Cheese Empanadas de Verde” by replacing the meat mixture with mozzarella or feta cheese. Form the patties with the plantain and add the cheese to the center and use the same method to fry.
Serve hot.