Catibías
An ancient yuca tradition, deep-fried to perfection
Catibías
Catibías are crispy fried turnovers made from yuca flour dough, distinguishing them from the wheat-flour empanadas and pastelitos. The yuca-based dough gives catibías a unique texture — crunchier and more brittle than wheat-based pastries, with a slightly sweet, earthy flavor. They are traditionally filled with seasoned crab meat, though shrimp, ground beef, and cheese fillings are also popular.
The yuca flour dough for catibías is made by grating fresh yuca, extracting the starchy liquid, and using the resulting flour to create a pliable dough. The turnovers are shaped into half-moons, sealed, and deep-fried until golden and crispy. The result is a pastry that shatters when you bite into it, revealing the savory filling inside.
Catibías have direct roots in Taino cuisine — the indigenous people of Hispaniola were master yuca processors who created casabe bread and other yuca-based foods long before European contact. Catibías represent a living link to pre-Columbian culinary traditions, adapted over centuries with fillings and frying techniques from later culinary influences.
Key ingredients
How to make Catibías
- 1
Peel 1 kg fresh yuca and grate it finely on the small holes of a box grater.
- 2
Gather the grated yuca in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly over a bowl to remove as much liquid as possible.
- 3
Move the squeezed yuca to a dry skillet over low heat with a pinch of salt, and stir 3 to 4 minutes just until part of it turns translucent while the rest stays raw, which firms the dough without fully cooking it; a little annatto oil can be added for the traditional yellow color, then let it cool.
- 4
Meanwhile make the filling: saute chopped onion and garlic in a little oil over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, add crab meat or ground beef, sofrito, and cilantro, and cook 8 to 10 minutes until the meat is cooked through and fairly dry, then season with salt and let cool.
- 5
Knead the yuca into a smooth dough, divide into golf-ball-sized portions, and press each between two sheets of plastic into a thin round disc.
- 6
Place a spoonful of filling on one half of each disc, fold over into a half-moon, and press the edges firmly to seal.
- 7
Heat vegetable oil about 5 cm deep in a pot to 180C.
- 8
Fry the catibias in batches 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crisp.
- 9
Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
A home-style reference method; every family and kitchen has its own version.
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