Tostones, meaning twice-fried plantains, are a popular snack throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. We have a grandmother from the Dominican Republic, which is an island in the Caribbean, so we decided to focus on this country for this snack. In the Dominican Republic, plantains are probably the most popular fruit. There are many ways to prepare them, like Mangú (mashed plantains), Mofongo (fried mashed plantains with pork crackling), Fritos Maduros (fried ripe plantains) and of course, our snack this week…tostones! Dominicans eat tostones for a snack or a side dish, kind of like how Americans eat french fries or chips. To make tostones you use unripe plantains. They are sliced, deep fried, smashed, then fried again! There is even a special kitchen tool called a “tostonera” designed for the smashing step. We are lucky to have one straight from DR! Click here for the recipe card.
