Description

It's easy to get hooked on sorullos, a thunderously crispy Puerto Rican cornmeal fritter. Also known as sorullitos, the deep-fried bits of dough get their name from their stubby cigar shape. The crispy outer shell quickly gives way to a luscious, velvety interior. It's this juxtaposition of textures that makes them so irresistible.

Directions

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. In a medium, heavy-duty saucepan, combine the water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Pour the cornmeal into the pot in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly as you add it.
4. Continue to whisk rapidly until the mixture thickens and transforms into a dough. It will take about 2 minutes for the dough to begin to pull away from the pan's bottom and sides. At this point, remove the pan from the heat.
5. Gently fold the cheese into the dough with a silicone spatula. Transfer the dough to a cutting board and let cool.
6. Meanwhile, in a deep, heavy-duty pot, heat about 4-inches of oil to 360 F. Line a large plate with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and set aside.
7. When the dough is cool enough to handle, divide it in half and roll into two, 2-inch thick logs.
8. Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the logs into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
9. Roll each dough piece into a ball, then into a 4-inch long cigar shape about the thickness of a thumb.
10. Fry the sorullos in small batches, turning often, until lightly golden and crispy, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to the towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon or skimmer. Check the oil's temperature between batches, giving the oil time to come back up to 360 F.
11. Whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, and peppers in a small bowl.
12. Serve the sorullos hot with the dipping sauce on the side.