Snack · 25 min · brazilian

Cartola (Fried Banana with Cheese)

Weeknight-friendly Brazilian cooking: Cartola (Fried Banana with Cheese) comes together in 25 minutes with bananas, mozzarella, and not much else.

✓ USDA-verified nutrition data

Ingredients

• 4 Bananas
• 8 oz Mozzarella
• 3 tbsp Butter
• 0.25 cup Sugar
• 2 tsp Cinnamon

Steps

1. Use ripe but firm bananas — overripe ones collapse in the pan. Slice them in half lengthwise.
2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and fry the bananas cut-side down, 2 to 3 minutes, until deeply caramelized. Flip and brown the other side.
3. Lay slices of mozzarella over the hot bananas, cover the pan, and cook 2 minutes until the cheese melts into every crevice.
4. Dust generously with the cinnamon sugar while everything is still sizzling.
5. Serve immediately, while the cheese stretches and the bananas are molten. Cartola is Pernambuco’s gift to the world — sweet, salty, hot, and gone in minutes.

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