Dynamite Lumpia

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (11 to -12- ounce) package frozen lumpia or spring roll wrappers (not egg roll wrappers)
• 4 ounces edam, cheddar, or Gouda cheese
• 1/2 small yellow onion (about 4 ounces, scant 1/4 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 25 small or medium jalapeño peppers
• 2 cups vegetable oil, for shallow-frying, plus more as needed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Thaw 1 package frozen frozen lumpia or spring roll wrappers in the refrigerator until you can separate the sheets, about 3 hours.
2. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut 4 ounces edam cheese into 1/8-inch -thick slices. Cut the slices into 25 (about .75×2-inch) pieces.
3. Very finely chop 1/2 small yellow onion (about 1/4 cup). Very finely chop 2 garlic cloves. Place both in a medium bowl. Separate the yolk and white from 1 large egg; add the yolk to the bowl of onion and the white to a small bowl.
4. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the bowl of onion and mix to combine. Add 8 ounces ground pork and mix with your hands until very well-combined.
5. Wearing gloves if possible, prepare 25 jalapeños for stuffing one at a time: Make a crosswise cut on one side just below the stem, cutting about halfway through. Starting at the center of the crosswise cut, cut lengthwise from top to bottom, only cutting through the top half. Open up the pepper and cut away the seeds at the base of the stem. Remove the seeds and white ribs and discard.
6. Stuff each pepper: Take 2 teaspoons of the filling and roll it in your hands into a log that fits inside a jalapeño, then stuff it into the pepper. Stuff 1 piece of the cheese into the pepper.
7. Remove the wrappers from the package and place on a work surface or plate. Cover with a damp paper towel to keep from drying out. Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
8. Place one wrapper on the work surface in a diamond shape (keep the remaining wrappers covered with the towel). Fold the right corner to the center and make a crease. Place a stuffed pepper horizontally on the folded part, positioning the stem so it is outside the wrapper. Fold the left corner over the pepper, pulling it taut and creasing the folds and adjusting to the size of the pepper as needed.
9. Fold the bottom of the wrapper up and over the pepper, pulling it taut. Continue to roll the pepper snuggly up toward the top corner, stopping when you are about 2 inches away from the top. Dip a finger into the egg white and use it to dampen the last unfolded part, then finish rolling all the way up (the egg white will help “glue” the wrapper” together). Place on the baking sheet and repeat wrapping the remaining peppers.
10. Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat until 350ºF. (If you don’t have a thermometer, gently dip one end of a lumpia in the oil: If it sizzles up right away, the oil is ready.) Meanwhile, line a second baking sheet with a rack and top the rack with a paper towel.
11. Frying in batches of 6 or 7, add the dynamite lumpia to the hot oil and fry until deep golden-brown on the bottoms, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, reducing the heat as needed if it’s cooking too quickly. Flip and fry until deep golden-brown on the second side (or the center registers 145ºF on an instant-read thermometer), 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more. Add more oil to the pan between batches if needed.
12. Transfer to the paper towels. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

RECIPE NOTES

Make ahead: The lumpia can be assembled up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, or frozen solid and then stored in a ziptop bag for up to 2 months. Fry frozen lumpia directly from frozen.