Pastelon (Puerto Rican Layered Casserole)

Description

This typical Puerto Rican dish is made up of an interesting mix of ingredients but somehow they all work together. There is a little bit of salty, sweet, and savory all in one bite.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • ⅓ cup sofrito
  • 8 green olives, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • ¼ cup recao
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • cooking spray
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 6 large ripe plantains – peeled, halved, and each half cut lengthwise into 4 slices
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 (9 ounce) package frozen French cut green beans, thawed and drained
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef; cook and stir until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the center
  2. about 10 minutes. Remove meat from pan; drain fat.
  3. Place tomato sauce
  4. sofrito
  5. green olives
  6. garlic
  7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  8. recao
  9. and oregano in the skillet. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Return ground beef to skillet; reduce to a simmer. Cook
  10. uncovered and stirring occasionally
  11. for 15 minutes more.
  12. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  13. Pour oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry plantain slices until golden
  14. 3 to 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
  15. Beat eggs thoroughly in a bowl; add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  16. Line the bottom of the baking pan with half the plantains
  17. overlapping as needed. Layer ground beef mixture
  18. green beans
  19. and remaining plantains; pour eggs on top. Top with mozzarella cheese.
  20. Bake in the preheated oven until eggs are set and cheese is melted
  21. 20 to 25 minutes.

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 56 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 21 mins

Servings: 8

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