Crispy on the outside, soft and savory on the inside, Peruvian Stuffed Potatoes can be served alone or as part of a lunch or dinner.
Ingredients: For the Potatoes: · 3 pounds yellow potatoes (or about 6 medium potatoes) · Kosher salt, to taste · Pepper, to taste · 1 large egg For the Filling: · 1 large egg · 1 tablespoon vegetable oil · 1/2 cup finely chopped onion · 2 cloves garlic, minced · 1 tablespoon minced aji pepper, aji pepper paste, or minced jalapeño to taste · 1 teaspoon ground cumin · 1/2 teaspoon paprika · 3/4-pound ground beef · 3/4 cup beef broth · 1/3 cup raisins · 1/3 cup chopped green olives, optional For Assembling and Frying: · 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting, or more as needed · Vegetable oil, for frying For Serving: · Ketchup, optional |
Instructions:
Make the Mashed Potatoes
1. Gather the ingredients.
2. 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.
3. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them in a colander.
4. When they are cool enough to handle, peel and mash the potatoes thoroughly (or pass them through a potato ricer).
5. Season the mashed potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Chill the potatoes uncovered for several hours, or overnight.
6. Once the potatoes are very cold, stir the egg into the mashed potatoes until well mixed.
Make the Filling
1. Cook the egg in boiling water until hard-boiled and set aside.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet. Add the onions, garlic, and aji pepper and cook until soft and fragrant
3. Add the cumin and paprika and cook 2 minutes more, stirring.
4. Add the ground beef and cook until browned.
5. Add the beef broth and the raisins and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until most of the liquid is gone.
6. Stir in the green olives, if using.
7. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and let cool.
8. Peel the hard-boiled egg and chop it into about 6 pieces.
Assemble and Cook
1. With floured hands, place about 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes in one hand and make a well in the center.
2. Fill the well with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture and a piece of hard-boiled egg.
3. 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.
4. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients; you should be able to make 6 croquettes. Coat each papa rellena generously with flour.
5. In a deep skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat 2 inches of oil to 360 F. Set the oven to 200 F.
6. Fry the potatoes in batches until they are golden brown.
7. Drain them on a plate lined with paper towels. Keep the papa rellena warm in the oven until ready to serve.
8. Serve with a side of ketchup, if desired, and enjoy.
Source: “Papa Rellena: Peruvian Stuffed Potatoes”. Recipe. www.thespruceeats.com. N.p. 11 Oct. 2021. Web. 1 Nov. 2022.
By Recipe Contributor
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