Pastelón is a classic Puerto Rican dish. Many refer to it as Puerto Rican lasagna as it very much resembles the popular Italian dish.
The biggest difference being thin layers of fried plantain replacing the pasta.
The sweetness of the fried plantain really makes this pastelón recipe unique and of course, delicious!
See all other from Puerto Rican Recipes | Recetas Puertorriqueñas
Ingredients List:
- 4 Ripe Plantains
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 2 tsp Adobo
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Onion
- 1 Green Pepper
- 1 Bunch Cilantro
- 1 Packet Sazón
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1/3 Cup Manzanillo Olives
- 1/2 Cup Raisins
- 2 oz Tomato Sauce
- 3 Eggs
- 2 Cup Shredded White Cheese
- 2 TBSP Vinegar
- Salt to Taste
- Vegetable Oil
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10x10 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Peel the plantains and slice them length-wise, continue to cut the plantains into very thin slices, about 1/4" thick. Set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet, to 300°F over medium heat. Fry the plantains until slightly crispy, about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on a plate with paper towel, set aside.
Drain oil from the pan you used to fry the plantains. Return the pan to the stove, add 1 TBSP of the plantain oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, onion, pepper, garlic, cilantro, adobo, oregano, vinegar, and sazon. Mix well.
Continue to cook the meat, until browned. Add bay leaves, olives, raisins, and tomato sauce. Mix and let simmer for 10 minutes, set aside.
To assemble the pastelon cover the bottom of the casserole dish with a layer of the fried plantain strips. Spoon a layer of the ground beef mixture onto the plantains, spread it out evenly. Top with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Repeat with another layer of plantains, meat, and cheese. Top with a final layer of plantains.
In a small bowl beat 3 eggs with 2 Tbs of milk. Pour this mixture over the plantains.
Top off with the remaining cheese.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside for 15 minutes before cutting.