← Nouns Cooking · Brazilian & Peruvian

Ingredients

• 1.3 kg floury potatoes (Russet or Maris Piper), peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for frying
• 1 small white onion, very finely chopped
• 2 tsp Ground achiote (annatto)
• 150 g quesillo or low-moisture mozzarella, grated
• Salt
• 4 tbsp smooth unsweetened peanut butter
• 150 ml Milk
• ½ Onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove Garlic, crushed
• ½ tsp Cumin
• 4 eggs, fried
• 1 Avocado, sliced
• 1 red onion and 2 tomatoes, sliced and tossed with lime and salt

Method

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15–20 min, until completely tender. Drain well and mash until very smooth.
2. Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat and fry the onion with the achiote for 5 min, until soft and deep orange. Mix this into the mash with salt to taste.
3. With damp hands, shape the mash into 12 balls. Push a hole in each, fill with cheese, close it up and flatten into a 2 cm thick patty. Chill for 30 min so they hold together.
4. For the sauce, soften the onion and garlic in a drizzle of oil for 5 min, add the cumin, peanut butter and milk and simmer for 3–4 min, stirring, until smooth and pourable.
5. Heat a thin layer of oil in a non-stick or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Fry the patties in batches for 4–5 min per side, without moving them, until a golden crust forms.
6. Serve 3 per person with peanut sauce spooned over, a fried egg, avocado and the onion and tomato salad.

Tips

• Contains peanuts. In Ecuador they’re often served with chorizo too, for meat eaters.
• Ground achiote (annatto) gives the colour; ½ tsp paprika plus a pinch of turmeric is a fair swap.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Laylita’s Recipes 196 flavors