- YIELD3 to 4 servings
- TIME10 minutes
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
A staple dish throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, tostones are crisp, flattened plantains that are often served as appetizers and side dishes. Unlike sweet maduros, which are made with very ripe, almost black, yellow plantains, savory tostones are made with unripe green plantains. Tostones are fried twice: The first fry sears the cut sides of the plantains, establishing a base layer of color; the second fry ensures that every edge is golden and crunchy. Tostoneras, wooden tools designed to create the perfect tostone shape, come in handy here, but a flat-bottomed cup will do just fine in its place.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 green (unripe) plantains (about 6 ounces each)
An important thing to consider is to try to find the greenest plantains possible, and this can be a challenge. If they are even slightly ripe, the result will not be good as they will not get crisp.
- Neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil, for frying
- Kosher salt, to taste
PREPARATION
- Slice the green plantain on a diagonal, and discard the ends. Use a paring knife to cut a slit along the length of the plantain to easily remove the peel, carefully avoiding cutting into the flesh. If the peel is too firm, use a spoon to lift the edges, then discard the peel. Slice the plantain crosswise into 1-inch rounds (about 8 pieces per plantain).
. - In a large skillet, heat about 1/8-inch vegetable oil over medium. When the oil shimmers, add the plantains, flat-side down. Fry until beginning to turn golden, about 1 minute per side.
. - For the first fry you know they’re ready when you see tiny bubbles coming from the centers.
. - While keeping the heat on, transfer plantains to a cutting board. Working with one piece at a time, use a tostonera or large flat-bottomed cup to gently press each plantain to about 1/2-inch thick. (If using a cup, keep it as centered as possible to flatten the plantains evenly.)
. - Prepare a salty water solution and add a crushed garlic clove.
. - Cool slightly after the first fry, squashed flat, passed through salted water very quickly, dried off, and then re-fry. Let the warm smashed plantain soak for a few seconds. Of course they will splatter when they hit the hot oil, but that’s what makes the crinkles crispy!
. - No Need to salt afterward if your solution was salty enough.ALSO – very important – if you are not able to ‘smash’ them and they seem really dry and just crack apart you need to fry them longer the first time – until slightly browned – golden really – you may need to lower your heat – The picture is exactly how they should look after the second fry.
. - Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan, pan-fry the flattened plantains until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
. - Drain on paper towels and pat them dry to remove excess frying oil.
. - While hot, season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.