Salvadoran FoodSalvadoran green plantain and red bean hand pies with quesillo, beet slaw, and roasted tomato sauce
Crispy golden hand pies made with a green plantain dough and a touch of corn, filled with seasoned red beans and quesillo. They are served with a fresh beet slaw and homemade roasted tomato sauce, in an original recipe inspired by traditional Salvadoran flavors.
Ingredients
- 600 g green plantain (pelado and en trozos)
- 60 g pre-cooked corn flour (for dar estructura a the dough)
- 8 g salt (divided for dough, sauce and curtido)
- 240 g cooked red beans (escurrido si tiene mucho caldo)
- 120 g white onion (finely chopped, divided)
- 9 g garlic (chopped, divided)
- 60 ml vegetable oil (divided, more si hace falta for frying lightly)
- 1 g ground cumin (for the relleno)
- 1 g dried oregano (divided entre relleno and curtido)
- 120 g Salvadoran quesillo cheese (deshebrado)
- 500 g ripe tomato (divided; parte for sauce and parte for relleno if desired more jugoso)
- 80 g green sweet pepper (chopped)
- 150 g beet (pelada and grated fina)
- 120 g green cabbage (finely grated)
- 45 ml white vinegar (for the curtido)
- 4 g sugar (for balancear the curtido)
- 240 ml water (approx., for cocer the plátano and ajustar the dough)
- 10 g fresh cilantro (chopped for terminar the sauce)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. Place the green plantain pieces in a pot with enough water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 18 minutes, until tender but not falling apart. Drain well and let rest for 5 minutes.
- 2
2. While the plantain cooks, make the slaw. In a bowl combine the grated beet, cabbage, half of the chopped onion, white vinegar, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano. Mix well and let it rest for at least 20 minutes, stirring once.
- 3
3. For the sauce, preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Place 350 g of the tomatoes, the green sweet pepper, and 1 garlic clove on a tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and lightly charred.
- 4
4. Blend the roasted tomatoes, sweet pepper, roasted garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped onion, 2 tablespoons water, and half of the cilantro until thick. Transfer to a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes with a pinch of salt. Keep warm.
- 5
5. For the filling, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the remaining onion for 3 minutes. Add 2 chopped garlic cloves, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano; cook for 30 seconds.
- 6
6. Add the cooked red beans and 150 g finely chopped tomato. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, partially mashing the beans with a spoon until the mixture is thick. Adjust with a pinch of salt and let cool for 5 minutes. Fold in the shredded quesillo without overcooking so it keeps some texture.
- 7
7. Mash the warm cooked plantain into a smooth puree. Add the pre-cooked corn flour, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and 2 to 4 tablespoons water if needed. Mix until you have a soft, shapeable dough that is not too sticky. Season with the remaining salt.
- 8
8. Divide the dough into 8 portions. Shape each into a ball, then flatten between your hands or on plastic wrap into a disk about 10 cm / 4 inches wide. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of the bean and quesillo filling in the center.
- 9
9. Fold each disk into a half-moon and press the edges firmly to seal. If any edge cracks, lightly moisten with water and seal again. Place the assembled hand pies on a tray.
- 10
10. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook the hand pies for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and crisp. Transfer to paper towels.
- 11
11. Serve the hand pies hot with the roasted tomato sauce on top or on the side, the drained beet slaw, and the remaining fresh cilantro as a finish.
Chef tips
If the plantain dough feels too wet, add 1 extra tablespoon of corn flour. If it dries out, moisten your hands with a little water while shaping. The filling should be thick so the hand pies do not burst while cooking.
Substitutions
You can substitute the quesillo with low-moisture mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese. Red beans can be replaced with cooked black beans, and green cabbage can be swapped for red cabbage for a more colorful slaw.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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