Pastelon (Plantain Lasagna)
A Puerto Rican-style layered casserole of sweet fried plantains and seasoned ground meat with beans, bound with egg and cheese, baked like a lasagna.
Ingredients
| 3-4 | large ripe plantains | |
| 1 medium | onion, chopped | |
| 3 teaspoons | 15 ml | minced garlic |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | cumin |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | smoked paprika |
| 1/2 -1 teaspoon | 2.5–5 ml | cayenne pepper |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | dried oregano or thyme |
| 1/4 teaspoon | 1.3 ml | ground coriander |
| 1 | red/green bell pepper, chopped | |
| 2 (or 1 cup sauce) | tomatoes chopped or tomato sauce | |
| 1 pound | 455 g | ground beef/chicken |
| 1 16-ounce can | black beans, drained and rinsed | |
| 3 tablespoons | 45 ml | water |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | salt |
| 1 packet (or 1 tbsp) | sazon or chicken bouillon | |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | freshly ground black pepper |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | sliced olives |
| 2-3 | green onion, chopped | |
| 2-3 tablespoons | 30–45 ml | parsley, chopped |
| 2 cups | 480 ml | shredded cheese |
| 2-3 | large eggs |
Instructions
PREP PLANTAINS: Cut off both ends of each plantain. Slit a shallow line down the long seam (only as deep as the peel) and pull the peel back to remove it. Slice each plantain lengthwise into 4-5 pieces. Fry or bake them. FRYING METHOD: Heat oil about 1/2 inch deep in a large skillet or cast iron over medium-high until hot but not smoking. Fry the plantains in batches, turning once, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes; do not overcrowd (they turn soggy and oily). Transfer with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. BAKING METHOD: Spray a baking sheet, arrange the plantains in a single layer, spray lightly with canola oil, and bake at 400 F for 12-20 minutes, turning after 8 minutes, until slightly browned. FILLING: Add 1-2 tablespoons oil to a skillet, then the onions, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, oregano and coriander; sweat about a minute. Add the bell pepper and tomatoes (or tomato sauce) and bring to a simmer. Add the ground meat and beans and cook 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning; add about 3 tablespoons broth or water as needed. Season with salt, chicken bouillon or sazon and black pepper. Finally stir in the olives, green onions and parsley; adjust seasoning and set aside. ASSEMBLE: Grease a deep 8x8 pan. Line the bottom with fried plantain with no gaps. Add a layer of the meat mixture, as with lasagna, alternating rows of plantain and meat until used up, adding cheese between layers if desired. Whisk the eggs and pour over the pastelon, covering it entirely. Top with cheese if desired. BAKE: Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, until the egg is cooked through and the cheese is bubbly. Let cool, then serve warm. Tips: Use moderately ripe plantains so they hold up and don't soak up oil. Use ground beef, chicken, beans, or a combination. Add cayenne for heat. It tastes good with or without cheese.