Party! And where there is a party there is… tequeños! One of the favorite appetizers at meetings in Venezuela. Tequeño is similar to cupcakes and croquettes but with certain differences in its preparation.
This wonderful appetizer is made in its original recipe of wheat flour and filled with cheese. The dough for tequeños is similar to that of puff pastry and in its elaboration process it has: 60% flour, 40% water, in addition to a touch of salt.
In this exquisite version of banana tequeños we only add eggs to the mixture and cornstarch only at the table, so that it does not stick when kneading. The ripe banana replaces the flour in the original recipe. A banana and cheese tequeño… What a delight! It may not meet the strict requirements of a Venezuelan tequeño but it is a very tasty version, free of flour and… gluten free!
Remember in the kitchen you have to be daring and fun, although there are very clear rules in gastronomy about the preparation of many dishes, wonderful recipes also arise as a result of good improvisation or a lucky incident. Curiosity also bears great fruit, because… What is cooking? An ephemeral and edible art. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s have fun!
This article invites you to prove your curiosity by cooking this fun and easy recipe for gluten-free banana tequeños. This version is fried, however you can bake it and it is much healthier that way, and it just has to be for a very short time. The most recommended semi-hard cheese for the preparation of this appetizer is the paisa type or any that does not have holes, because this type of cheese contains a lot of air when it melts, it usually comes out from the sides or sticks to the walls in the form of a tunnel.
Ingredients to make Banana Tequeños with Cheese:
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of Cornstarch (125 grams)
- 300 grams of hard cheese
How to make Banana Cheese Tequeños:
We start by cooking the plantains. To do this, place a saucepan with enough water to cover all the bananas, previously chopped, as seen in the photo, without removing the skin. Take to the fire and let it boil until they are tender.
The bananas are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork. It is important that they are not overcooked as the dough would be very soft and shapeless. Nor can they be raw, because the dough might break. The consistency of the dough must be homogeneous to achieve good homemade tequeños. Next, drain the bananas very well, using a strainer. Let stand for a while but without allowing them to cool completely, otherwise it will be more complicated to make the puree. Mash the bananas with a masher or a fork until they form a puree that is as homogeneous as possible. Add the egg and knead the puree until you get a dough with a homogeneous texture. Make a ball with it and reserve.
Prepare your work table with all the ingredients and utensils necessary to make the banana tequeños. Arrange the necessary measures of all the products in containers and cut the cheese into small thin rectangles. Clean the table where you will need very well. Sprinkle cornstarch over the surface and divide the ball of dough into two smaller ones. Knead like a plasticine, one of the balls. Make a braid and use a bottle or your hands to flatten it. Place a block of cheese at the beginning of the flattened dough and roll it inside. Remember the cheese rectangles must be thin so that the size of the tequeño is adequate.
Three gluten-free tequeños come out of each braid. The remaining dough joins it to the other ball. Before closing the banana tequeños, to make them look more pleasing to the eye, cut a rounded shape with the knife, like a flap and that’s it.
If you want it to be crispier, you can pass it through egg and cornstarch, before frying. In this recipe I preferred to simply fry it, as is. Preheat a pan with oil and fry the banana tequeños until golden brown. Remember the banana cooks very quickly and is also already cooked beforehand.
Who does not shine with an appetizer like this? Children’s parties, meetings with friends, entertainment, leisure afternoons in front of television and others. Any excuse will be a good one to taste these homemade tequeños. If you want to eat them often, bake them instead of frying them. Healthy and delicious!
