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Pastelón (Puerto Rican Lasagna)
By Marisol Cruz
INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds ground beef
Goya® adobo to taste
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Goya® sazón, 1 packet
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons sofrito or to your liking (can be found in Goya section in jars and/or frozen     products)
Spanish olives, 5-6 diced
Salt to taste
Canola oil (for frying)
Ripe plantains (the darker the better, as it’s an indication of ripeness)
3-4 eggs

Optional:

Cheese – any sharp variety (Cheddars, white and yellow cheeses)

PREPARATION:

Season ground beef with adobo. Add vinegar, sazón, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sofrito and olives. Brown the beef and cook until well done. Keep on low heat until ready to use.

Prepare plantains:

Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Peel each plantain by cutting off the ends, then carefully slicing down the skin lengthwise. Separate the plantain from the peel. Slice each plantain into layers by cutting lengthwise across the plantain. Often I cut each plantain in half first, as it makes it easier to then cut lengthwise across the plantain. Each layer should be thin, but thick enough to pan-fry. Carefully fry each plantain layer. You want the plantain to have a golden-brown color, turning each halfway-through so both sides get a nice color. Once both sides of the plantain are golden-brown, remove from oil and place on a cookie sheet covered in paper towels, so the oil is absorbed. Repeat until all your plantain layers are fried.


Assembly:

Using a lasagna dish, generously grease it with some butter or spray. Create your first layer of fried plantains to cover the bottom of the dish. Spread cooked ground beef on top of the plantains to cover the length of the dish. Repeat, creating alternating layers of plantains and ground beef until you finish with the last layer of plantains. Crack eggs into a bowl and beat. Pour the eggs over the top of the pastelón, making sure they go into the corners, sides and middle. This helps seal the pastelón, so it doesn’t break apart when serving. Bake in 350- degree oven for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Optional: Add layer of cheese on top of beef.  Top with more cheese if desired.