I went out for dinner and drinks with my coworkers last Friday night at Bar + Bistro, one of my favorite tapas restaurants in Vegas. My favorite tapas were the tostones- little sandwiches made on fried plantains instead of bread!

These were SO delicious!! I couldn’t wait to recreate them at home. I’ve never used plantains before, so I did some research first.

-tostones are a dish that comes from Puerto Rico. They are eaten as a side dish in place of rice, pasta, or bread.

-plantains are starchier and less sweet than bananas, so they can be eaten savory or sweet. They also have more potassium than bananas!

Tostones are quick and easy to make. I found plantains at Whole Foods for $1 per pound. You can get an even better deal at Hispanic supermarkets. Pick a plantain that is green. I didn’t know any better, so I got a yellow one with some dark spots. It was still good, but a little on the sweeter side.

Ingredients:
-1 plantain, large
-2-3 tbs grapeseed, coconut, or canola oil
-salt to taste

1. Cut the plantain into 1.5 inch slices. Heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.

2. Fry the plantain slices until golden on all sides, but not burnt. Adjust the flame as necessary.

3. Stand the plantain slices on a paper towel and gently flatten each one with the bottom of a plate or mug until they are about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick.

4. Return the plantain patties to the skillet and fry until golden on both sides. Return to paper towel to remove excess oil. Season with salt to taste.

I served my tostones with leftover slices of African roasted pork and mint sauce. They would be really good with roast beef, carnitas, or turkey breast as well!

My tostones were not as crispy as the restaurant version because I used less oil, but they were still very tasty!

For a different variation called mofongo, simply mash the fried plantains with a bit of garlic at the end. This is a very tasty alternative to mashed potatoes!