Patacones

The stages of a patacon

Growing up, these are usually what I had when I wanted a snack, lol.

Patacones are what Panamanians call what's more commonly known as tostones: green plantain that's been fried (twice) and pressed.

They can be served as an appetizer, a snack, or as a side to a meal.

Green plantains were (and still are) a staple in my house because:
1. They taste great!
2. They're nutritious: full of vitamins A, C and bit of iron to boot.
3. They’re cheap... sometimes priced at 8 for $1! And...
4. They’re versatile. If they're not used while green, they'll surely be used once they turn yellow…so it's like having two types of plantain for the price of one!

When plantains are green, they're more starchy and their flavor more similar to that of a potato than a banana.

Cooking Bananas

From L-R: Green Bananas, Green Plantain, Turning Plantain, Yellow Plantains

For patacones, you want to choose a plantain that's anywhere from firm and green to just beginning to turn...

Since green plantains are a bit harder to peel than the ripened yellow versions, here are a few helpful tips to remove the skin:

First, rinse the plantain well and cut off both ends. Using a sharp knife, score down the spines of the peel. Now you should be able to slide your thumbs under the skins and pull them off. :)



Making Patacones:

(this amount serves about 3-4 people)

3 large green plantains

Oil for frying

Salt to taste

Garlic powder (optional)

Slice the peeled plantain into 1-inch size rounds then put them to soak in cold salted water while you get everything else prepared. Be sure to dry them off with paper towels before you start frying though!

In a cast-iron or heavy skillet, pour in enough oil to reach about 1/2 inch up the side and heat over a medium flame for about 5 minutes. When you test one of the plantain slices, it should sizzle, but not so wildly that it begins to brown immediately. The first fry should be relatively gentle...the slices should take just about a minute on each side. After the initial fry, your plantain pieces will be a light golden yellow, but definitely not brown.

Set the plantain pieces to drain on paper towels / brown paper.

Time to smash!

My mom and grandma always used a little gadget called a tostonera to press plantains, so that's what I use. But don't worry if you can't find one, just use the bottom of a glass to press each plantain slice flat. After they are all flattened, turn the heat under your skillet to high.

This time you do want a more vigorous sizzle. Fry the pressed plantains until they reach a deeper, golden brown and appear crispy around the edges...less the one minute usually. Set them to drain on brown paper or paper towels.

There's nothing worse than an under-salted patacon! They're similar to french fries in that way, so don't be afraid to salt them :o). Be sure to sprinkle them with the salt (and even a little garlic powder if you'd like) while they're still piping hot.

That's all there is to it!

The patacones will be nice and crispy on the outside and slightly "creamy" on the inside.

Enjoy!