**Pastelón Recipe**
**Ingredients**
*For the Picadillo Filling:*
– 1 tablespoon oil (canola or vegetable oil)
– 1 pound lean ground beef or ground chicken
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
– 1 packet of sazón con color seasoning
– 2 tablespoons sofrito https://picanteysaborfood.blog/2025/05/10/sofrito/
– 1 can tomato sauce
– 1 tablespoon diced red bell peppers
– 1 tablespoon diced white onions
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 1/2 cup water
– 1 packet of Chicken Bouillon https://amzn.to/4420NaT or Powdered Beef Bouillion https://amzn.to/4kuZzLg (depending on the meat used)
– 1 teaspoon dried oregano
*For the Fried Plantains:*
– 3 large ripe plantains (about 2 pounds total)
– 4 cups vegetable oil
– salt
*For Assembly and Serving:*
– Cooking spray
– 2 large eggs
– 6 ounces shredded mozzarella or cheese of your choice (about 1 1/2 cups shredded)
**Instructions**
*Make the Picadillo Filling:*
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef or chicken, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine, breaking the meat into smaller pieces. Cook until the meat is half cooked, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. In the same pan, add the sofrito, onions, and bell peppers. Cook until the onions and peppers are translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
3. Return the cooked meat to the pan and add the tomato sauce, beef or chicken stock packet, sazón, and 1/2 cup of water, and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the meat is cooked through about 15 minutes. Add more water if necessary to achieve a saucy consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed. Remove the pan from heat and set aside.
*Make the Fried Plantains:*
5. Peel the plantains and cut them lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices.
6. For deep frying, heat 4 cups of oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Fry the plantain slices in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer the fried plantains to a baking sheet and season lightly with salt.
*Assemble and Bake the Pastelón:*
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray.
8. In a small bowl, whisk the 2 large eggs with a fork until broken up.
9. Arrange a single, even layer of the fried plantains at the bottom of the baking pan. Top with half of the picadillo filling (about 1 cup) and spread it into an even layer. Drizzle with half of the beaten eggs, gently tilting the pan so the egg coats the picadillo.
10. Sprinkle with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining plantains, picadillo, remaining eggs, and cheese. Finish by topping with the remaining plantains.
11. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and return to the oven to bake until the cheese is melted about 5 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with rice.
Enjoy!