Tostones de pana – Breadfruit tostonesfeatured
These tostones de pana (breadfruit) are crispy on the outside, with a light and fluffy interior, and mildly sweet and nutty flavor. They make the perfect snack or side dish.
Jump to RecipeA few weeks back, my family took a trip to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, where my husband’s family is from. It was the kids’ first time visiting either of their countries of heritage and they adored it. We explored new places and new foods. For the kids, it was their first time trying tostones de pana–twice-fried breadfruit tostones.
We had these tostones de pana on a beautiful stormy day at one of our favorite beaches, the stunning Playa Buyé. Disclaimer: my recipe does not fully replicate the beach scene, but it really is delicious!
What are tostones de pana?
Now, we eat a lot of tostones in our home and around our neighbourhood in New York City (not quite as scenic as the image above). You may be familiar with the more commonly found tostones made from green plantains that are made in a variety of Latin and Carribean countries. Those too are delicious and you can find my recipe for those here.
But for these tostones de pana you will use breadfruit in the place of green plantains. Puerto Ricans love this variation. Unlike their plantain counterpart, I do not think they are commonly found elsewhere in Latin American. Let me know in the comments if you have had them and where!
These tostones de pana have a divine texture- crispy on the outside, and light and fluffy on the inside, and are less dense than plantain tostones. They have a sweet and nutty flavor and are perfection as a side dish to any Caribbean meal, like my arroz con pollo (Puerto Rican rice and chicken). Or enjoy them as a snack, just salted, or dipped in your favorite mayo-ketchup, mojo, salsa or guacamole.
But wait, what even is breadfruit?
Breadfruit is a tropical fruit grown in South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific islands, the Caribbean, Central America and Africa. It has many varieties and many common names. It has several names in Spanish depending on the country. Puerto Ricans call it ‘pana’. In other Spanish-speaking countries it has other names, such as panapen or buen pan. Like in English, these names derive from the word bread-pan in Spanish- due to the fruits’ bread-like texture.
Finding pana outside of the tropics can be tricky. You can look for it at Latin, Asian, or African markets. Despite living in a Latin neighborhood I had trouble finding mine locally. If you live in New York City, you can sometimes order breadfruit from Fresh Direct, which is where I got mine.
You should look for a breadfruit that is firm. Ideally, it will also be very green, though if you live outside of a tropical area this may be harder to find. Don’t worry if it is brownish, but avoid mushy pana.
Making tostones de pana
Making perfect tostones de pana is actually really simple. You will peel your pana and cut into chunks and fry those chunks until lightly golden brown.
Next, flatten your fried pana chunks by pressing with a tostonera or another flat surface, like the back of a plate. If you want to make lots of tostones–and you should– you can purchase a high quality tostonera here (affiliate link).
Then, fry once more until slightly golden and crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Salt generously ¡y ya! you’re done!
¡Buen provecho!
Tostones de pana
Equipment
- 1 tostonera optional
- 1 frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 breadfruit firm and green, ideally
- neutral oil for frying
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut breadfruit in half, lengthwise.
- Place breadfruit cut side down onto a cutting board and peel with a sharp knife.
- Slice each breadfruit half lengthwise into four pieces.
- Cut out the spongey center of the fruit, then cut into 1-2 inch chunks.
- Heat oil on medium-high for several minutes. Make sure it is enough oil to cover the breadfruit chunks at least halfway.
- Carefully add your breadfruit chunks. The oil should sizzle. Fry, turning occasionally until the chunks are lightly golden on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool until slightly.
- Using a tostonera or another flat surface, such as a the bottom of a plate, gently press and flatten each breadfruit chunk. They should flatten easily, if not, they may need to be cooked through longer.
- Return flattened breadfruit chunks to the oil and fry until crispy and golden brown.
