Recipe(tried): Original Recipe for Ybor City Deviled Crab Balls (Croquettes)

Hi Jack!

This recipe was given to me by an old friend a while back. These take a while to make but get a helper and it's fun and worth the time and effort. They're fantastic!

ORIGINAL RECIPE FOR YBOR CITY DEVILED CRAB BALLS

BREAD DOUGH:
3 loaves stale American bread
1 loaf stale Cuban bread, ground very fine and sifted (use the food processor and just remove any large pieces left)
1 level Tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
cheesecloth
CRAB FILLING:
5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 onions, finely chopped
1/2 red or green bell pepper, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, mashed or chopped fine
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
6 oz. tomato paste
1 tsp. salt
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 lb. can fresh crab meat (claws) picked over and shredded or 1 lb. canned crab meat, tastes the same
TO COAT CROQUETTES:
2 eggs well beaten
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 cup cracker meal
1/2 cup flour
TO COOK:
oil for deep frying

PREPARE THE BREAD DOUGH:
Remove crust from 3 loaves American bread and discard crust. Soak remaining bread in water 15 minutes (only add enough water to dampen all bread). Then drain off water by squeezing dough in cheesecloth.

Add sifted Cuban bread crumbs gradually until you have a dough. Add paprika and salt; mix well.

Form into balls the size of tennis balls for easy handling and chill about 2 hours.

PREPARE THE CRAB FILLING:
Easiest to chop all filling ingredients food processor. Fry slowly in oil the onions, bell peppers, garlic, hot pepper flakes for about 15 minutes.

Add tomato paste, salt, bay leaves, and sugar. Stir, then cover and cook 15 minutes at low heat.

Add crab and cook 10 minutes. Uncover, put on platter and chill 2 hours.

SHAPE CROQUETTES:
Take about 3 heaping Tbsp. bread dough, press in hand to cover your palm. Put in 1 heaping Tbsp. of crab filling then seal like a croquette with two pointed ends. Like a football shape*. Dip in the following:

For the egg wash, in a small bowl mix together eggs, milk, and salt and pepper.

In another bowl, mix cracker meal with the flour.

Dip the croquette in the cracker meal mix, then the egg wash and again in cracker meal. Chill another 2 hours.

COOK CROQUETTES:
Fry in deep fat until browned.

*Make miniatures for parties or regular size for eating for lunch or snacks.

Total time needed for chilling is 6 hours (in 2 hour intervals)