5 Traditional Foods
You Have To Try in Cayey

Alcapurria is a fritter made from a seasoned masa of grated green bananas and yautía, wrapped around a savory meat filling and deep-fried until deeply golden and crisp. Usually shaped into an elongated oval or torpedo, it is one of Puerto Rico’s best-known frituras and is especially associated with roadside stands, beach kiosks, and casual outdoor eating. The traditional masa is made primarily from very green bananas and yautía, a starchy tropical root from the genus Xanthosoma. Green plantain is also commonly included. The peeled vegetables are grated very finely, traditionally on a metal grater called a guayo, until they form a thick, sticky paste. Salt and achiote-infused oil are mixed into the masa. The achiote gives it a warm yellow-orange color and a subtle earthy flavor while also adding enough fat to make the mixture easier to handle. The masa should be thick and cohesive enough to hold a filling without breaking apart during frying. The classic filling is a Puerto Rican-style ground-beef picadillo. The meat is cooked with sofrito, typically containing onion, garlic, ají dulce, peppers, cilantro or culantro, and other seasonings. The filling may also include tomato sauce, oregano, olives, and capers. It is cooked before being enclosed in the raw masa. To shape an alcapurria, a portion of masa is spread onto an oiled banana leaf, waxed paper, or another smooth surface. A spoonful of picadillo is placed down the center, and the masa is folded around it until the filling is completely enclosed. The fritter is then shaped into its characteristic elongated form. The alcapurria is slid carefully into plenty of hot oil and fried until the outside becomes dark golden brown and crisp. The oil should be hot but not smoking. Inside, the grated banana and yautía cook into a soft, moist, slightly dense layer surrounding the seasoned meat. Freshly fried alcapurrias are drained briefly and eaten while still hot. They are usually served on their own as a snack or appetizer and are commonly sold in paper containers at kioskos and roadside stands. Pique, Puerto Rico’s vinegar-based hot sauce, can be added at the table, although it is not required. They are particularly associated with places such as Piñones, Luquillo, and Puerto Rico’s coastal food stands, where alcapurrias are sold alongside other frituras such as bacalaítos and empanadillas. Crab-filled alcapurrias are also closely associated with coastal areas, but seasoned ground meat remains a classic filling. The precise origin of the alcapurria is not documented. Its ingredients and technique reflect the different cultures that shaped Puerto Rican cooking: yautía and achiote have deep Indigenous roots in the Caribbean and tropical Americas, and plantains arrived through the transatlantic world. They became particularly important in Afro-Caribbean cooking, and the seasoned meat filling reflects Spanish and Creole influences. Over time, these elements came together in a fritter that became distinctly Puerto Rican.