Pastelon
Ingredients
- 3 lb green plantains, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch planks
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying plantains
- 1 lb ground beef
- 4 oz sofrito, divided (2 oz for meat, 2 oz for sauce)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup pitted green olives, halved
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 4 oz aged cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet to 325°F. Working in batches, fry plantain planks 2-3 minutes per side until golden and tender but not crispy. Drain on paper towels and season immediately with salt. Reserve oil.
- In a separate skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook 4-5 minutes, breaking into small pieces, until browned. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan.
- Add 2 oz sofrito, diced onion, minced garlic, and oregano to beef. Cook 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in tomato sauce, green olives, and raisins. Simmer 3 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, whisk together beaten eggs, 2 oz sofrito, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper.
- Arrange a layer of plantain planks on the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking dish, slightly overlapping. Spread half the ground beef mixture over plantains. Layer remaining plantains, then remaining beef mixture. Pour egg and sofrito mixture over top, allowing it to settle between layers. Sprinkle shredded cheddar evenly across surface.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 22-25 minutes until top is golden and custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the center. Let rest 8 minutes before serving.
Inspired by Roosevelt Caesar’s winning pastelon. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.