Plantain Chips

These golden, beautifully crisp baked plantain chips are made by slicing into small rounds on a mandoline and baking them immediately on a baking sheet.

Ingredients :

• 2 medium green plantains, each measuring around 9 1/2 ounces,

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

STEPS :

     1. Preheat the oven :

Set up the oven's racks in the top and bottom thirds. Turn the oven on to 375°F.

     2. Prepare the plantains : 

After rinsing, pat the plantains dry. With a sharp knife, cut each of the ends off. Be careful not to cut into the meat when you score the plantain's peel lengthwise with the knife. To separate the two and peel the plantains, slide your thumb between the skin's scored area and the plantain's flesh.

     3. Cut the plantains :

Slice the plantains into rounds that are 1/16-inch thick using a mandoline. Alternatively, hand-cut the plantain into rounds that are 1/16-inch thick using a sharp knife. If cutting by hand, be sure to do so as evenly and as nearly to 1/16 inch thick as you can. Instead of producing a delicate crisp, thicker rounds will produce a more toothsome crunch.

     4. Toss the plantains :

Olive oil and 1 teaspoon kosher salt should be combined in a sizable bowl. Rounds of sliced plantains should be added to the oil and salt mixture, and each should be given a hand toss to coat. Ensure that any plantain slices that may have come together must be carefully separated and coated.

     5. Spread the plantains on rimmed baking sheets : 

On two rimmed baking pans that aren't lined, spread out the coated plantain rounds in a single layer. The corners of the rounds should touch but not overlap because they will shrink in the oven.

     6. Bake the plantain chips :

In the top and bottom thirds of the oven, arrange the chips. Bake for 7 minutes at 375 °F. Transversely and vertically rotate the pans. Once the plantain chips are golden to golden brown, dry and firm to the touch, and easily release from the pan, bake for an additional 8 to 9 minutes. Put only those chips back into the oven for an additional minute, or until they are no longer soft or adhering to the pan, if any of the chips feel soft or are doing so.

     7. Finish the plantain chips and serve :

While still warm from the oven, season the plantain chips with additional salt, if desired. At room temperature or heated, serve. 

Plantain chips can be kept for up to three days at room temperature in an airtight container.