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Maduro en Gloria

Prep 20 min
Total 60 min
Ingredients 8
Servings 8

One of the sweetest memories from my childhood is that of ripe plantains sliced and fried, served with cream. In Nicaraguan cuisine the plantain, green or ripe, is a constant, daily presence at the table from breakfast to dinner meals. Plantains are served with gallo pinto, refried beans, cheese and even in desserts like the one I bring to you today. Ripe plantains, peel and all, are even added to different meals such as baho (meat and yucca dish) or in meaty soups. The plantain adds a sweet toque to these flavorful dishes. Maduro en gloria (fried, sweet plantains) is one Nicaraguan recipe that has been around for many years. It’s prepared with grated frescal or semi-dry cheese, but I know that it’s not easy to find this kind of cheese everywhere. The important thing is to use a fresh cheese that has a firm texture and good flavor to contrast with the sweetness of the plantain. When I was a girl my mom also made us Salvadoran empanadas that I used to love. They were filled with ripe plantain and leche poleada (a hot drink made of milk and flour), and coated in sugar. Sometimes the filling consisted in refried beans, but I have to confess that I always preferred the sweet empanadas. Using her recipe as a base, I have tried many different fillings, giving each different kind of empananda a super special sabor.

Ingredients

4 ripe plantains, cut lengthwise and fried, with excess oil removed
Oil, for frying plantains (enough to cover plantain slices)
2 cups queso fresco (Frescal or semi-dry), coarsely grated
Cinnamon sticks
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons margarine or butter

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2

Peel the plantains and cut them into 3 slices, lengthwise.
3

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the slices until they are golden-brown. Strain to remove excess oil.
4

Arrange half of the sliced, fried plantains on a greased pan or ovenware dish. Cover with half the cheese and some sticks of cinnamon. Repeat to create 1 more layer of plantains, cheese and cinnamon.
5

Combine milk, eggs and sugar. Pour the milk mix over the top layer and spread out pieces of butter over the top. Bake until the milk separates and the top layer is golden-brown, for about 25 minutes.

Never refrigerate plantains until they’re completely ripe, since chilly temperatures interrupt the ripening process.
You may also sprinkle ground cinnamon between layers in place of the cinnamon sticks.

No nutrition information available for this recipe

One of the sweetest memories from my childhood is that of ripe plantains sliced and fried, served with cream. In Nicaraguan cuisine the plantain, green or ripe, is a constant, daily presence at the table from breakfast to dinner meals. Plantains are served with gallo pinto, refried beans, cheese and even in desserts like the one I bring to you today. Ripe plantains, peel and all, are even added to different meals such as baho (meat and yucca dish) or in meaty soups. The plantain adds a sweet toque to these flavorful dishes. Maduro en gloria (fried, sweet plantains) is one Nicaraguan recipe that has been around for many years. It’s prepared with grated frescal or semi-dry cheese, but I know that it’s not easy to find this kind of cheese everywhere. The important thing is to use a fresh cheese that has a firm texture and good flavor to contrast with the sweetness of the plantain. When I was a girl my mom also made us Salvadoran empanadas that I used to love. They were filled with ripe plantain and leche poleada (a hot drink made of milk and flour), and coated in sugar. Sometimes the filling consisted in refried beans, but I have to confess that I always preferred the sweet empanadas. Using her recipe as a base, I have tried many different fillings, giving each different kind of empananda a super special sabor.