Pastelón de Plátano Maduro (Ripe Plantain Casserole)

By á-49759

Ingredients

• For the filling
• 1 1/2 lb [0.45 kg] of ground beef
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 small red onion diced into small cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or more, to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper (or more, to taste)
• 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 cup of tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley
• To assemble
• 6 very ripe plantains
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (soy, peanut or corn)
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Details

Adapted from dominicancooking.com

Preparation

Step 1

For the filling

Mix meat with bell pepper, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic. In a skillet heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat.

Add the ground beef and stir so it cooks uniformly. Add water and tomato sauce. Simmer covered.

When the meat is cooked through (about 15 mins) let almost all the liquid evaporate and mix in the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from the heat and reserve.

To assemble
Peel the plantains and boil in enough water to cover them (plus an inch [2.5 cm]) adding the salt to the water. When the plantains are cooked through (15 to 20 mins) remove from the heat.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 °F [175 ºF].

Remove the plantains from the water and mash them with a fork until you have a smooth puree. Mix in butter and keep mashing until it is very smooth.

Grease the bottom of a medium baking pan (6 x 9 inches [15 x 21 cm]) with the oil.

Spread half of the plantains mixture in the baking pan with a fork making a level layer.

Follow by spreading the minced beef in a level layer. Top with the remaining plantain, spreading into a level layer.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake uncovered until the top is golden brown. It will be easier to serve if you wait five minutes after removing from the oven.

NOTES

Your choice of cheese, and the order in which the layers are distributed is a matter of taste. Basically any cheese that melts works, I like mixing cheddar and mozzarella, for example, while some people like placing the cheese right after the meat layer.