Cheese-Crusted Ripe Plantain Balls Recipe

Cheese-Crusted Ripe Plantain Balls Recipe: Crusty on the outside, sweet in the inside and oozing with melted cheese. Do I have your attention? This little balls are also easy and quick to make.

Course Appetizer, Party

Cuisine Caribbean, Dominican

Keyword bolitas, maduro, platano

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings servings (18 balls ttl)

Calories 292kcal

Author Clara Gonzalez

Ingredients

3 ripe plantains (see notes)
2 tablespoon oil for greasing hands
1 cup hard mozzarella , diced [0.34 kg]
1/2 cup ground Parmesan or Pecorino
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature, to grease tray

Instructions

Cooking plantains: Cook in the microwave unpeeled for 4 minutes. Remove the peel (careful not to burn yourself). Remove the center of the plantain (looks like a nerve) and mash until there are no lumps. Cool to room temperature.
Making balls: Grease your hands with the oil.
Make small balls (about a tablespoon of plantain puree). Poke a hollow in the ball and put a piece of mozzarella in it. Form a ball around it. Repeat until you finish with all the mashed plantains. Resist eating them now.
Covering with Parmesan: Cover with Parmesan or Pecorino, making as thick a layer as you can. Place the balls on a greased tray and freeze hard (about 4 hours).
Baking: Bake in preheated oven to 400 ºF [200 ºC] for 15 mins, or until they are golden brown outside and remove from the oven.
Serving: Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Use plantains that are ripe but firm.

How many balls you get depend on the size of the plantains you use.

Make sure to use hard (dry) mozzarella, the fresh type in brine will break the balls in the baking.

You can prepare them beforehand and keep frozen, bake them just before serving

I didn't find it necessary to add salt, as the parmesan is already salty.

Nutrition