Puerto Rican Papas Rellenas Stuffed Potatoes Food

STUFFED POTATO BALLS ( PAPAS RELLENAS )

Steps:

• Mix together the hot mashed potatoes, eggs, butter and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. Set aside and let cool.
• In a frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Stir to break up the meat.
• Add the sofrito, tomato sauce, oregano and salt to the cooked ground beef. Mix thoroughly. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Spread a spoonful of the potato dough mix in the palm of your hand. Make an indentation in the middle and stuff it with the meat mixture.
• Cover the filling with more potato dough. Shape into a ball. Dust the ball lightly with the remaining cornstarch.
• Repeat until mix is used up.
• Deep fry the stuffed potato balls until golden (about 2 minutes).
• Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Servings: Makes 12 to 16 potato balls.

PAPAS RELLENAS (FRIED STUFFED POTATOES)

Steps:

• Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two. Mash in a bowl with 1/2 teaspoon salt until no lumps remain. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion, green pepper, and garlic in the hot skillet until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly and no longer pink. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, pepper, tomato paste, and vinegar until the tomato paste has dissolved. Scrape into a mixing bowl, and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap or waxed paper, and set aside. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl, and set aside. Pour the bread crumbs and flour into separate, shallow dishes, and set aside.
• Once the potatoes and beef have cooled, form the potato balls: grab a handful of mashed potatoes, and split into two equal portions. Form each piece into a small bowl shape, and fill with the ground beef mixture. Place the two halves together, seal the edges, and smooth to make a round ball. Gently roll the ball in the flour to coat and shake off the excess flour. Dip into the beaten egg, then gently roll in bread crumbs. Gently toss between your hands so any bread crumbs that haven't stuck can fall away. Place the breaded potato balls onto the prepared baking sheet while breading the rest. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours, or freeze for later use.
• To cook, heat the oil for frying in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cook the potato balls in the hot oil in batches, using tongs to roll the balls around as they cook to ensure even browning, until crispy and golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate before serving.

PAPA RELLENA CON SALSA RANCHERA (STUFFED POTATO WITH SPICY CREOLE SAUCE)

Steps:

• For the potatoes: Start by putting the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with 8 cups cold water and add the salt; the water should taste a little salty. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer and cook until they feel tender when poked with a fork or knife. Drain and then mash, adding the milk and butter. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for at least an hour.
• For the filling: Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a deep skillet over high heat. Add the onions, garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Turn the heat down to medium-high and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the beef and tomato paste, cover and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for about 25 minutes. Remove the lid and stir; the consistency should look like thick chili. Transfer to a pan and spread the mixture out so it cools quickly.
• To assemble: Start by portioning the cooled potato mixture, about 8 ounces or enough to look like an orange when rolled into a ball. Next, take a ball and flatten with your palms while at the same time maintaining a cup shape in one hand. Then, with an ice cream scooper, fill the potato with the meat filling. Close and seal it with both hands. Repeat with all the potato balls. Set up 3 shallow pans, one with the egg wash and the others with the panko. Take a potato ball and put in the egg, then in the fine panko, back into the egg and then in the coarse panko. Once you have breaded them, put them in the refrigerator to firm up, about 30 minutes. Fill a deep pot about halfway with oil and heat to about 350 degrees F. Carefully drop the potato balls in the oil and fry in batches until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve with Salsa Ranchera.
• Start by heating a skillet with 5 tablespoons of the olive oil and adding the chiles and whole garlic cloves to toast for a few minutes. Then add the onions, bell peppers, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Then add the fresh tomatoes, tomato puree and stock, and reduce by a third at a low simmer; this takes about 15 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes. Then place in a blender and puree. Heat the remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil in another pan. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and add to the pan. Fry the sauce in the hot pan and reduce until thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

PUERTO RICAN PAPAS RELLENAS (STUFFED POTATOES)

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut into uniformly sized chunks. Place in a pot and cover with water. Salt the water about (2 tablespoons). Boil until cooked through and easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.
• Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Let any excess water evaporate. Mash with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, egg and butter.
• Flour your hands with cornstarch and flatten about 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes into a disk in the palm of your hand. Add a heaping tablespoon of picadillo to the center of the disk and bring the edges of the potato up and around the picadillo. Seal the edges and roll into a smooth ball. Repeat until all the potato has been used up, making sure to coat hands in cornstarch each time.
• Deep fry the balls in hot oil (about 350°F) about 5 minutes, turning as needed until they are golden brown all over. Serve plain or with mayoketchup or mojo de ajo for dipping, if desired.

PAPA RELLENA: PERUVIAN STUFFED POTATOES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the unpeeled potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes.
• Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them in a colander.
• When they are cool enough to handle, peel and mash the potatoes thoroughly (or pass them through a potato ricer ).
• Season the mashed potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Chill the potatoes uncovered for several hours, or overnight.
• Once the potatoes are very cold, stir the egg into the mashed potatoes until well mixed.
• Cook the egg in boiling water until hard-boiled and set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet. Add the onions, garlic, and aji pepper and cook until soft and fragrant.
• Add the cumin and paprika and cook 2 minutes more, stirring.
• Add the ground beef and cook until browned.
• Add the beef broth and the raisins and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until most of the liquid is gone.
• Stir in the green olives, if using.
• Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Peel the hard-boiled egg and chop it into about 6 pieces.
• With floured hands, place about 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes in one hand, and make a well in the center.
• Fill the well with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture and a piece of hard-boiled egg.
• Mold the potatoes around the beef, adding more potato if necessary to fully enclose the filling. Shape into an oblong oval with slightly pointy ends, about the size of a medium potato.
• Repeat with the rest of the ingredients; you should be able to make 6 croquettes. Coat each papa rellena generously with flour.
• In a deep skillet or deep-fat fryer , heat 2 inches of oil to 360 F. Set the oven to 200 F.
• Fry the potatoes in batches until they are golden brown.
• Drain them on a plate lined with paper towels. Keep the papa rellena warm in the oven until ready to serve.
• Serve with a side of ketchup, if desired, and enjoy.

RELLENOS DE PAPA (STUFFED MASHED POTATOES)

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil and remove from heat.
• Add margarine, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and milk. Stir until the margarine is melted.
• Add the potato flakes. The mixture should be pretty thick and dry.
• Add a slightly beaten egg and mix well.
• Let the potatoes sit to cool down.
• Divide potato mixture into 6 balls.
• Sprinkle corn starch on one hand and carefully spread one of the potato balls on your hand pushing down in the middle.
• Place a tablespoon of prepared picadillo in the middle carefully folding the sides over the meat until it is completely sealed.
• Roll the stuffed balls in corn starch - this will help keep the mixture together during frying.
• Fry over medium-high heat until golden.
• Note: all purpose flour can be used instead of cornstarch.

PAPAS RELLENAS (FRIED STUFFED POTATOES)

Steps:

• POTATOES::.
• Boil potatoes until fully cooked.
• Drain potatoes and mash with salt.
• DO NOT ADD BUTTER, OIL, OR LIQUID.
• Let cool.
• PICADILLO (meat mixture)::.
• Saute onions and green pepper until onions are limp.
• Add the garlic, beef, salt, cumin, black pepper, tomato paste and vinegar.
• Continue to cook until meat is completely cooked.
• Drain off excess fat and allow to cool.
• Now, grab a handful of mashed potatoes, split handful in 1/2 and make each one into a bowl pressing with fingers.
• Stuff the indentation in each 1/2 with ground beef or picadillo.
• Bring the two 1/2's together and smooth to make a round ball, the size of an overstuffed golf bowl. (This is the size used for a snack/lunch).
• If your going to use these for appetizers make them a lot smaller, the size of sauerkraut or rum balls.
• Dip ball into beaten egg and the flour until lightly covered.
• Dip the ball again into the eggs, and roll in breadcrumbs to coat thoroughly.
• Refrigerate for 2-4 hours or you may freeze these for later use.
• Use frying pan with enough oil to cover half the ball at a time.
• Heat oil to frying time (375°F) and drop each potato ball into oil.
• BE CAREFUL!
• Cook 2 minutes or until golden brown on one side and then turn over & cook the same.
• If you have deep-fryer heat oil to 375°F.
• Place the potatoes in a single layer in the basket and drop into oil for 3 minutes or until golden brown.
• DON'T OVERCOOK.
• Deep frying is best when they are frozen.

PAN-FRIED STUFFED POTATOES (CUBAN PAPAS RELLENAS)

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef with onions and garlic in the hot skillet until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease. Turn heat down to medium-low. Add tomato sauce and wine and let simmer. Stir in olives. Season with salt and pepper; adjust the seasonings per taste.
• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and mash potatoes, then set aside to cool.
• Separate the egg yolks from the whites into two bowls. Mix the egg yolks into the cooled mashed potato mixture. Whisk the egg whites for 1 minute.
• Take 1/4 cup of the mashed potatoes and form into a ball. Make a dent in the ball, to give it more of a bowl shape. Fill the indentation with 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture, and then reseal it.
• Reshape the potato as a ball again. Dip the ball in the egg whites, then roll the ball around in bread crumbs until coated. Repeat with remaining potato and meat mixture. For a better coating, or for a crunchier texture, you may dip the ball into the egg whites again and coat it with another layer of bread crumbs. Refrigerate the potato balls for at least 4 hours before frying.
• Pour enough oil into a skillet or frying pan to cover half of the potato balls. Heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Working in batches, place several balls into the frying pan and cook on each side until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, taking care not to overcook. Drain the stuffed potatoes in a single layer on paper towels.

PAPAS RELLENAS (CUBAN STUFFED POTATO BALLS)

Steps:

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, boil the potatoes until fork tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot away from the heat. Mash the potatoes or push through a potato ricer. It should be easy to shape into a ball (but don't shape them yet). Allow to set until cool enough to touch.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the meat is browned. Stir in the garlic and onion until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain excess grease. Add the tomato sauce and wine, then lower the heat to medium. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the olives and season with the spices and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for another 3 minutes then remove from the heat. If the meat mixture is not at the consistency you desire, you can transfer it to a food processor and pulse a few times to hash it up. This is completely optional.
• Scoop 1/4 cup portions of the potatoes and divide each in half. Press a dimple into the middle of each half to form small bowl like shapes. Stuff a tablespoon or two of the meat mixture into half of the bowls, then cover with the other halves and form a ball around the meat. None of the meat should be exposed.
• In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and flour. Dip each ball first into the beat eggs, then into the bread crumbs. Repeat for a crunchier texture. Layer on a lined baking sheet or large platter and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours before frying.
• Pour enough oil into a frying pan that is enough to cover half of the height of the balls. Heat the oil to 375 °F. Carefully drop the stuffed potatoes in the hot oil and fry on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and serve immediately.

ANDES STYLE PAPAS RELLENAS

Steps:

• Boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water until soft, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly and remove peel. Mash and let come to near room temperature. Add one egg and knead until smooth and soft, it should be like a dough that you can handle without sticking to your hands.
• Heat 2 or 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook onions and garlic until they begin to carmelize and are golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add ground beef and tomatoes and cook 5 minutes, while breaking up with a wooden spoon. Add parsley, cilantro, olives, and hard boiled eggs and raisins, if using. Season with salt, pepper and paprika keeping in mind that the olives will also be salty.
• Take a handful of the potato mixture (about 3/4 cup) and flatten in your hand. Place about 2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center. Carefully fold over and pinch closed while forming an oval shape. Coat with flour and set aside. Repeat until you have used all the mixtures. Refrigerate about 20 minutes to rest.
• Heat remaining oil in the skillet (or use a deep fryer) and fry rellena on all sides until golden brown. Drain on paper toweling. Serve hot with Aji or Sarza Criolla.