CiberCuba Cocina
Plantain Piononos | Photo © CiberCuba Cocina

Banana piononos

Kitchen, Additional dish

Kitchen, Additional dish

Vegetables
Cheeses
Beef
Pork
Egg
Preparation Time:
30
Note:
Bananas are an ideal food for recovering energy after intense physical effort. They are a fruit rich in potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, and folic acid. The color of the skin indicates the degree of ripeness, and if you notice spots or dark points, you should not discard them because this does not imply a decrease in the quality of the fruit. There are many types of bananas, but they are easily distinguished by their size, shape, and color. Each variety has its own flavor and different ways of eating or cooking it. Generally, Cubans prepare green bananas in fufú, chicharritas, tostones, or we let them ripen to fry them. This recipe is made with very ripe bananas. Piononos are very easy to make. In the book Cocina al Minuto, Nitza Villapol prepares them with picadillo, makes the rolls, and fries them, but on this occasion, we will make them with bacon and cheese and bake them, because the ingredients we use provide enough fat.
Ingredients:
  • 2 ripe plantains or "burros"
  • 100 grams of smoked bacon in slices
  • 100 grams of thinly sliced Emmental cheese
  • 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions:

Wash and peel the ripe plantains. Cut them lengthwise into thin slices; approximately 5 slices come from each plantain.

Bananas, bacon, and cheese / CiberCuba Cuisine

Cut the cheese into thin strips of similar size and thickness to the banana slices. Separate the strips of bacon to make the preparation quicker.

Preheat the oven to 220ºC (428ºF). Lightly grease a baking tray or muffin tins with vegetable oil.

Slices of the 3 ingredients arranged to make the roll / CiberCuba Cocina

Place a strip of banana over a piece of bacon and put a slice of cheese on top. In other words, it should have bacon, banana, and cheese. Roll them as tightly as possible and place each roll in the mold. If you don't have a mold, pin the banana roll with a toothpick that goes through it from side to side to prevent it from opening while baking.

3 Plantain piononos threaded with a skewer for baking / CiberCuba Cocina

Bake it at 220ºC (428ºF) for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Take them out of the oven, decorate them, and serve immediately.

Freshly baked Piononos / CiberCuba Kitchen

Another option for this recipe is to make them with picadillo. Cut the plantains into slices, fry them until golden brown, and let them cool. Spread 1 tablespoon of picadillo on each slice of plantain. Then roll it up and secure it with 1 or 2 toothpicks so it doesn't open. Dip the rolls in the beaten egg with salt and fry them until golden brown.

Piononos of ripe green plantains with bacon and cheese / CiberCuba Kitchen

Serve hot. To decorate them, I recommend adding a green touch with parsley or chives, but lightly, so that the sweetness of the banana piononos stands out.

Enjoy your meal!!

Rations:
6
Vegetables
Cheeses
Beef
Pork
Egg