Buñuelos (Yucca Fritters)

Name: Buñuelos (Yucca Fritters)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: makes ABOUT 40
Ingredients: 2 1 ⁄ 2 lb. yucca, peeled and cut into small pieces; 1 small white sweet potato, peeled and cut into pieces; 1 egg yolk; 1 tsp. salt; 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. ground aniseed; Vegetable oil; Flour; 2 cups sugar; 1 cinnamon stick

Serves
makes ABOUT 40

CHRISTOPHER HIRSHEIMER

These simple fritters are a favorite Cuban snack.

Ingredients

2 ¹⁄₂ lb. yucca, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 small white sweet potato, peeled and cut into pieces
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. salt
¹⁄₄ tsp. ground aniseed
Vegetable oil
Flour
2 cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick

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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.