Recipes

Buñuelos (Yucca Fritters)

  • Serves

    makes ABOUT 40

CHRISTOPHER HIRSHEIMER

These simple fritters are a favorite Cuban snack.

Ingredients

  • 2 12 lb. yucca, peeled and cut into small pieces
  • 1 small white sweet potato, peeled and cut into pieces
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 14 tsp. ground aniseed
  • Vegetable oil
  • Flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

Step 1

Put yucca and sweet potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 2". Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, then mash with a potato masher until smooth, discarding any fibrous pieces. Set aside until cool to the touch, then add yolk, salt, aniseed, and 1 tsp. of oil.

Step 2

Rub hands with a little oil, then form dough into 1" balls. Roll each ball on a lightly floured surface into 8" "ropes", then twist into open-bottomed figure eights.

Step 3

Put sugar, cinnamon stick, and 1½ cups water in a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat until pale gold, 40-50 minutes. Set syrup aside.

Step 4

Pour oil into a large skillet to a depth of 2" and heat to 375° on a candy thermometer over medium-high heat. Fry buñuelos in batches, turning them, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm, drizzled with a little syrup.

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