#FoodieExtravaganza Potatoes: Llapingachos (Ecuadorian Stuffed Potato Patties)

Foodie Extravaganza is where bloggers come together and celebrate food holidays. Did you know there is at least one food assigned to each day of the year to celebrate that food? Kathleen from Fearlessly Creative Mammas is our host this month and since she is from Idaho, she picked potatoes. All of the recipes will feature potatoes in one form or another.

Posting day is always the first Wednesday of the month. If you are a blogger and you’re interested in joining in the fun, visit us at our Facebook Foodie Extravaganza page. You can also visit our past party submissions on our Pinterest Foodie Extravaganza board .

With his month’s #FoodieExtravaganza featuring potatoes, I decided to make Llapingachos (Yapingachos). Llapingachos are Ecuadorian potato patties than have a crisp exterior and an extra special surprise on the inside: melted cheese. If that wasn’t delicious enough, they are also served with an assortment of toppings. I topped mine with Salsa de Mani (a creamy peanut sauce), curtido de cebolla y tomate (a lime marinated onion and tomato salad), and fried eggs. They can also be served with avocado slices, lettuce leaves, chorizo, hot peppers, and other items. They are generally eaten at lunch with a salad and meat dish.

These are best served warm while the cheese is still melty. To keep the others hot while you cook the remaining, place the llapingachos on a baking sheet in a 200 degree F oven.

I prepared the patties the night before and kept them on the baking sheet in the refrigerator overnight. This way, I only had to fry them and make the toppings for lunch. The onion and tomato curtido can also be prepared a day in advance.

Make sure the cheese is fully enclosed when the patties have been formed. Any cheese that is sticking out will cause the exterior to burn when frying.

These patties are on the delicate side. They need to be cooked in a dry cast iron skillet or a barely greased pan. The addition of oil will make them fall apart. I also gently guided them on the spatula with a spoon to keep them from cracking during the flipping process.

Achiote, also known as Annatto, are the seeds of the Achiote plant (Bixa orellana) that originated in the tropical Americas. It is now popular in Southeast Asia as well. Achiote is often used to create a natural yellow/orange coloring to foods (it is also the ingredient used to make cheddar yellow). It is available as a seed, powder, or paste. For this recipe, I used the powder form. Achiote can be found in the spice or international section of larger grocery stores, in Latin American markets, and on Amazon: Whole Spice Annatto Powder, 4 Ounce. Read the ingredient list of the product you buy to make sure there are no additives or other herbs mixed in. Note: Some people have sensitivities to annatto.

Quesillo is an Ecuadorian fresh farm cheese. It is available in some Latin American markets specializing in South American foods. In other Latin American countries, the name Quesillo is used to refer to other food products. I was unable to find it so I used Mozzarella (still quite delicious).

We hope you will enjoy the recipes we are sharing this month. The potato is so versatile that we’ve come up with a huge variety of recipes for you to try.

Latvian Spiced Dill French Fries from Fearlessly Creative Mammas

Chicken and Mashed Potato Waffles from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Chipotle and Lime Roasted Fingerling Potatoes from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Horseradish Potato Au Gratin from From Gate to Plate

Roasted Purple Potatoes with Rosemary and Thyme from Our Good Life

Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup from Making Miracles

Llapingachos (Ecuadorian Stuffed Potato Patties) from Tara’s Multicultural Table

Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Omelet) from Cali’s Cuisine

Japanese Moon Gazing Potatoes from Ninja Baker

Potato Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Sweet Potato Spiced Swirl Bread from Baking in Pyjamas

Loaded Pierogi from Cooking With Carlee

Bloody Mary Potato Salad from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Colcannon with Kale from Cherishing a Sweet Life

Potato Rolled Tacos from Foodie and Wine

Jersey Royals with Mint from Food Lust People Love

Naked Ladies with their Legs Crossed from Passion Kneaded

Shredded Potato Crusted Chicken from The Freshman Cook

Copycat Chicken & Gnocchi Soup from Pantry Friendly Cooking

Llapingachos (Ecuadorian Stuffed Potato Patties)
Adapted from Laylita’s Recipes
12 Potato Patties

Potato Patties:
3 pounds (~5 large) russet potatoes
2 tablespoons sunflower or avocado oil
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
2 teaspoons ground achiote
1 cup grated quesillo or mozzarella cheese
Salt to taste
Onion and Tomato Curtido:
2 small red onions
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
3 limes, juiced
3 medium tomatoes
1 tablespoon light olive oil or avocado oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
Salsa de Mani:
3/4 cup natural, unsweetened creamy peanut butter
1 cup milk, divided
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 cup finely diced white onion
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground achiote
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons minced white onion
1 hard boiled egg, finely chopped (optional)
1 hot pepper, finely minced (if desired for a little extra heat)
Salt to taste
To serve:
Avocado slices
Lettuce leaves
Fried eggs
Chorizo
Aji Criollo

To make the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil until fork tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

In a large skillet, drizzle sunflower or avocado oil over medium heat. Add the onions and stir in the achiote. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.

Finely mash the potatoes and mix in the softened onions. Season with salt to taste. Cover the bowl with plastic or a towel and allow to rest for an hour.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment.

Divide the potatoes into 12 equal pieces. Form a piece into a smooth ball, about the size of a golf ball. Lightly flatten and form an indentation in the center. Fill with shredded cheese and gently shape the potato over the top to completely enclose the cheese. Flatten lightly into a disc while still keeping the cheese enclosed. Place on parchment and repeat with remaining potato and cheese. Refrigerate until well chilled, about an hour.

While the potato patties are chilling, prepare the onion and tomato curtido: Peel the red onions and slice in half. Cut each half into very thin slices and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the onions with 1 tablespoon salt and toss. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Fill the bowl with lukewarm water until the onions are covered and allow to rest for another 10 minutes. Drain and thoroughly rinse the onions, then place back in the bowl.

Mix in the lime juice and sprinkle lightly with salt. Allow to rest at room temperature until the onions are thoroughly pink.

Cut the tomatoes in half and finely slice. Toss in the onions with the olive oil and cilantro. Season with more salt if desired.

To make the salsa de mani: In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter and 1/2 cup of the milk until smooth.

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Mix in diced onions, cumin, achiote, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and translucent. Pour in the peanut butter mixture and stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk.

Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and cook, stirring often to prevent the bottom from burning, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, minced white onions, hard boiled egg, and aji. Keep warm.

Place a dry cast iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat. Once thoroughly heated, add a potato patty and cook until golden brown. Very gently flip with a spatula (helps to guide it on the spatula with a spoon) to cook the other side until golden. Repeat with remaining patties. Serve warm topped with salsa de mani, onion and tomato curtido, and various accompaniments.