Author Notes
A good friend who came to this country from Cuba a number of years ago told me how to make these. She is one of the best overall cooks I know, but I have a particular fondness for her creations from Cuban and Spanish cuisines. The black-eyed peas are soaked in advance, but they do not undergo the water-based cooking usually used for legumes. According to my broken Spanish, caritas means something like "little darlings." My friend also refers to these as bollitos (little balls). —friendlyoaks
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Ingredients
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1 pound
dried black-eyed peas
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5
cloves garlic, mashed
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Salt and pepper
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4-6 tablespoons
water
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Vegetable oil for deep frying
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Lime juice
Directions
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Soak the black-eyed peas overnight in an excessof water.
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Rub off the skins. (Gently rubbing the peas against a sieve works well.) Give the peas a second soak in fresh water for another hour. Drain them.
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Puree the peas with garlic and salt and pepper to taste in a processor. With the motor running, add water until the puree is thick and smooth.
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Heat the vegetable oil to 375 degrees in a deep-frying skillet or an electric fryer.
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Drop the puree by tablespoonfuls into the oil. Fry the fritters until golden brown. Do not fry too many at once.
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Place the finished fritters on a paper towel over a rack. Keep them in a warm oven until ready to serve.
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Sprinkle with salt and pepper and lime juice. Serve hot.
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