Homemade Pastelón Recipe

To the bowl of a food processor, add the cilantro, culantro, onion, red and green bell peppers, garlic, oregano, and cumin. Pulse until combined.

Heat ¼ cup of canola oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the sofrito and fry, stirring constantly, until deepened in color but not brown for about 3 minutes. Add the olives to the pan and stir to combine.

Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until no longer pink for about 7 minutes. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt.

Add 1 teaspoon of adobo seasoning, the Sazón seasoning, and the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is absorbed into the meat for about 7 minutes.

Transfer the beef mixture to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon, discarding any excess liquid. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and set it aside.

Peel the plantains, cut in half crosswise, then slice each half lengthwise to get 4 thin slices.

Heat the remaining cup of canola oil in the same pan over medium-high heat until the oil starts to shimmer.

Fry the plantains in batches until they are lightly browned on the edges and tender in the centers for 4 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally with a fork. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season on both sides with salt.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange a single layer of plantains in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Using a slotted spoon, top with about half of the meat mixture.

Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella over the meat sauce. Repeat with more plantains, the remaining meat sauce, and another cup of mozzarella. Finish with the remaining plantains.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining teaspoon of adobo seasoning.

Pour the egg mixture over the plantains, then cover the baking dish with foil.

Bake the pastelón until the eggs are set and the cheese is bubbly for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and turn the oven to broil.

Uncover the dish and sprinkle the remaining cup of mozzarella over the top. Broil for 5 minutes or until cheese on top is golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!