Pastelon. Pastelón is a classic Puerto Rican dish made with layers of thinly-sliced plantains, ground beef, and cheese! Think of it as a Puerto Rican version of lasagna. It's the perfect casserole to make for a potluck or family gathering.
A great accompaniment to this dish would be to serve it with warm tortillas and a green salad. This warm and delicious dish is the epitome of a comfort. Pastelón is a layered Puerto Rican casserole of plantains, cheese and picadillo, a tomato-based ground beef mixture seasoned with onions, peppers, herbs and spices The dish is often referred to as Puerto Rican lasagna, and to say there is only one real recipe for pastelón would be like saying there's only one true lasagna Variations abound Pastelón is a Puerto Rican casserole dish layered like Italian lasagne made with exclusively sweet plantains, stuffed with mincemeat, vegetables, and bound together with beaten eggs. You can cook Pastelon using 13 ingredients and 5 steps. Here is how you cook it.
Ingredients of Pastelon
- It's 7 packages of Goya brand sweet tostones, thawed.
- Prepare 1 1/2 lb of ground beef.
- Prepare 2 of -3 tbsp adobo (or to taste ).
- It's 2 of -3 tbsp black pepper.
- You need 1 of 8 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained.
- It's 1 small of can of tomato paste.
- Prepare 6 large of eggs, beaten.
- You need 1/2 envelope of sazon.
- You need 1/4 cup of sofrito.
- It's 1 tbsp of minced garlic.
- You need 1 medium of diced onion.
- It's 1 can of green beans, drained (optional).
- It's 1 1/2 packages of mixed colby jack shredded cheese.
A common misconception is that cheese and tomato based-sauces are a component of this dish, but this is considered anathema in Dominican culture. Pastelón is a Puerto Rican dish with many interpretations across the island. Our version nestles thinly sliced, fried sweet plantains between layers of savory ground beef and mozzarella cheese. The beef mixture can be made a day before assembling the pastelón--just refrigerate until ready to use!
Pastelon step by step
- Brown beef with all seasonings, sofrito, & onion. Then add tomatoes. Cook till some of liquid evaporates, then set aside..
- Preheat oven @ 375°. In a greased with butter 9x13 or lasagna pan, layer the tostones covering bottom of pan in 1 layer..
- Top with ground beef mixture, then green beans, & then cheese. Repeat for 2 more layers..
- Pour beaten eggs over whole dish, especially the corners. Fork so the egg can distribute through because it acts as a binder for cutting later (like lasagna)..
- Top with layer of cheese, cover with foil & bake for 30 - 40 minutes. Let stand for @ least 15 minutes before serving to make sure the egg binds it better. Then serve with green beans or salad..
I've never heard of Pastelon before, but it the flavor combo sounds really delicious and it looks amazing. I am definately down to give it a try! It's definitely worth a try for sure. Pastelon is the quintessential homemade dish, and it mixes the sweetness of fried ripe maduro with the cooked meat and sofrito, which is traditional in Puerto Rican kitchens. It's worth mentioning that there are several recipes, as is common with cherished dishes from our countries.
