Puerto Rican Pastelon (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
4 yellow plantains that are fully ripe (about 1.3-1.5kg).
02 -
120ml of neutral cooking oil (like sunflower oil).
03 -
500g minced beef.
04 -
1 teaspoon of adobo mix (a common Puerto Rican seasoning).
05 -
1 and a half teaspoons of sazón spice blend.
06 -
1 small onion (white), finely chopped.
07 -
1 green capsicum (bell pepper), minced.
08 -
1 tablespoon of recaito or 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander leaves.
09 -
6 pickled green olives stuffed with pimientos, sliced into rings.
10 -
1 teaspoon of capers.
11 -
1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
12 -
240ml of tomato purée or sauce.
13 -
200g grated cheese (split into 2 portions).
14 -
2 large chicken eggs.
15 -
Half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.
# Instructions:
01 -
Set your oven to 175°C and lightly oil a rectangular baking dish (23x33cm or a square one around 25x25cm) so things don’t stick.
02 -
Carefully remove the peels from the plantains. Then, slice them lengthwise and aim for thin pieces about 6mm thick.
03 -
Heat your oil to roughly 150°C in a wide pan, then fry the plantain strips for just under 2 minutes on each side, until they get that golden tone.
04 -
Let your plantains rest on absorbent paper to soak up the excess oil, but keep a tablespoon of the oil back in the pan for later.
05 -
Brown the beef in the pan using the adobo and sazón spice mixes, which should take around 6 minutes.
06 -
Once the beef is out, sauté the onion, green pepper, and recaito (or coriander) in the remaining oil until the mixture softens nicely.
07 -
Mix in the olives, capers, and oregano, letting it cook gently for another couple of minutes.
08 -
Put the beef back in the pan along with the tomato sauce and let everything simmer for a bit.
09 -
Lay your first set of plantain slices at the base of your dish, then spoon the meat mixture on top followed by 50g of the cheese.
10 -
Build up another set of plantains, meat, and cheese, but save the rest of your cheese for topping later.
11 -
Top it all off with a final layer of plantain slices.
12 -
Whisk together the eggs and baking soda until it’s a bit foamy and gently spread this over the top layer.
13 -
Bake without a cover for around 25 minutes.
14 -
Sprinkle over the cheese you saved earlier, then bake for another 5 minutes until melted.
15 -
Before you slice and serve, cool the dish for around 15 minutes so it sets nicely.
# Notes:
01 -
A classic comfort food from Puerto Rico.
02 -
Perfect for making ahead of time!
03 -
A rich, filling main dish.
04 -
Features delicious layered textures.