Pastelon/Puerto Rican lasagna

Make this with sweet plantain strips fried and placed between layers of savory meat and cheese.

 Ingredients

Puerto Rican picadillo

• 5 ripe plantains (the darker the better); peeled and sliced into strips
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese
• Frying oil; enough to coat the bottom of your pan

Puerto Rican picadillo

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves of garlic; minced
• 1/4 cup Sofrito
• 1 pound ground beef 80/20
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Adobo seasoning
• 10 pimiento-stuffed olives; cut in half
• 2 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water

Sofrito

• 1 yellow onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 head garlic
• 1 bunch Fresh cilantro
• 12 Ajies Dulces
• 6 leaves Recao
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon crushed oregano
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare Puerto Rican Picadillo (seasoned ground meat)
  • Heat skillet at medium-high, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  • Sauté onions, garlic, and sofrito until onions are translucent.
  • Add ground beef
  • Season with dry adobo.
  • Brown the meat.
  • Add olives, bay leaves, water, and tomato sauce, stir until well combined. Raise heat to bring to a boil.
  • Lower heat to a simmer cover and let cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and let simmer for another 15 minutes or until sauce thickens. Set aside.
• Prepare the Maduro (sweet plantains)
  • Heat a large frying pan with vegetable oil, just enough to coat the bottom.
  • Fry plantains for two to three minutes on each side or until golden and slightly crispy.
  • Drain on a plate with paper towel, set aside.

To assemble pastelon:

• Start with a layer of plantains
• Brush with eggs
• Then a layer of the picadillo
• Then a fistful of cheese
• Repeat.
• You want to finish with plantains and cheese.
• Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.