Sweet potato patties stuffed with cheese {Llapingachos de camote}
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Additional Time
1 hr
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Total Time
55 mins
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Servings
12 medium sized llapingachos
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Cuisine
South American, American, Ecuadorian
Sweet potato patties stuffed with cheese {Llapingachos de camote}
Description
This recipe for Sweet potato patties stuffed with cheese {Llapingachos de camote} begins by boiling peeled sweet potatoes until tender. The potatoes are mashed together with a sautéed mixture of finely chopped white onion and achiote, a ground spice that provides warmth and color. Salt is added for seasoning. After resting, the mash is shaped into golf ball-sized portions with a hollow filled with grated quesillo or similar cheese before being gently formed into thick patties. Chilling the patties before cooking helps them hold together. They are then cooked on a hot griddle until golden brown on each side, careful handling is advised as the patties are delicate. Traditionally, these patties are served with peanut sauce, pickled red onions (curtido de cebollas), avocado slices, and hot salsa, which complement the sweet and savory patties with fresh, tangy, and spicy contrasts.
The mixture of sweet potato and cheese offers a tender, creamy bite with a slight crust from pan-frying. The achiote adds a distinctive color and subtle flavor, enhancing the mild sweetness of the potato. The accompaniment of peanut sauce and pickled onion adds layers of richness and acidity, balancing the richness of the cheese filling. This dish can be served as an appetizer, side, or even a light meal when paired with fried eggs or grilled chorizo, traditional in Ecuadorian cuisine.
Ingredients
- 6-7 sweet potato about 3 pounds, peeled and cut in large chunks
- 2 tablespoon oil or butter
- ½ cup onion finely chopped; white onion
- 1-2 teaspoons achiote ground
- 1 cup quesillo queso fresco or mozzarella cheese - or a mix, grated
- salt to taste
To serve:
- peanut sauce aka Salsa de mani
- red onion in curtido de cebollas or lime pickled
- hot sauce aji or hot sauce
- avocado slices
- egg for a complete meal, fried eggs and grilled
- chorizo for a complete meal, fried eggs and grilled
Instructions
- Boil the sweet potatoes until soft, about 20 minutes.
- Heat the oil or butter over medium heat in a frying pan, add the onions and achiote, cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Mash the sweet potatoes with the onion achiote mix, add salt to taste.
- Cover the mashed sweet potatoes and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour.
- Make small golf size balls with the sweet potato mash.
- Make a hole in the middle of each ball and fill it with the grated or crumbled cheese.
- Gently shape the dough into thick patties and let rest in the refrigerator for about ½ to 1 hour (if you have the time).
- Cook the patties on a hot griddle until browned on each side, about 5-7 minutes per side – adjust based on the temperature of your griddle. Turn them gently as they are very delicate.
- Serve with salsa de mani or peanut sauce, lime pickled red onions, avocado slices and hot sauce.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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