Pastelon ("Puerto Rican Lasagna")
This recipe makes 5 to 6 cups sofrito.
- 2 medium Spanish onions, chopped
- 4 cubanelle peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded and chopped
- 6 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stemmed
- 10 aji dulce peppers
- 4 culantro leaves
- 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, halved, seeded and chopped
- 6 very ripe sweet plantains (maduros)
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
- 1/4 cup sofrito
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 Sazon con Azafran, such as Goya (saffron seasoning)
- Adobo seasoning, to taste
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1/3 cup alcaparrado or green olives
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
For the sofrito, place ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine. Reserve ¼ cup, then refrigerate the remaining sofrito in a mason jar for another use or freeze.
For the lasagna, preheat oven to 350˚F.
In a large skillet, heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium. Once hot, working in batches, add the halved plantains and cook until golden brown on all sides. Remove plantains to a plate.
In another large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add the reserved sofrito, tomato paste, sazon and a dash of adobo. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and alcaparrado, and cook until beef is lightly browned. Remove skillet from eat and reserve.