Puerto Rican Plantain Lasagna (Pastelon)

Plantain lasagna?  Really?  Yes! And what a delicious and comforting meal!  Perfect for this time of year!  This is another recipe modified from one that Gloria sent me (thank you Gloria!).  I made this for my mother-in-law’s birthday while she was visiting and it was a hit!  My mother-in-law was amazed—mostly at how you don’t even miss the cheese with the combination of egg and plantain.  It’s quite filling and my husband was delighted with a freezer full of leftovers to bring to work for lunch.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 90 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 6 ripe plantains (should be nearly completely black)
• 8 eggs
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion
• ½ cup red pepper, diced
• ½ cup green pepper, diced
• ½ cup of chicken broth
• ½ cup dry wine (white or red)
• 4-5 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small (6oz) can tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ tsp salt, to taste
• ¼ tsp pepper, to taste
• 3-4 Tbsp coconut oil

1. Heat a saucepan over medium high heat.  Add 1 Tbsp of coconut oil and ground beef garlic, red and green pepper, onions and bay leaf.  Brown the beef, breaking up with a large spoon, 8-10 minutes.
2. Add broth, wine, and tomato paste.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10-20 minutes while frying the plantains, stirring occasionally.  Before adding to your pastelon, add ¼ tsp salt, to taste, depending on how seasoned your broth is.
3. Now would be a good time to preheat the oven to 350F.
4. Cut the plantains in half and peel.  Next cut each half into ¼”-thick slices (about 4 slices per plantain—it’s okay if they aren’t all evenly thick).
5. Heat 1-2 Tbsp coconut oil in a frying pan or skillet or griddle (more if using cast iron or stainless steel, less if using non-stick).  Place the slices into the hot oil and fry 3-4 minutes per side to lightly brown.  Set aside.  (You will probably have to work in batches, topping up the coconut oil in the pan between each batch).
6. Beat or whisk 4 eggs (you may wish to add a dash of salt and pepper). Pour onto the bottom of a large rectangular casserole dish or lasagna pan.  Place in oven for 6-7 minutes until set, but not completely cooked.  Remove the pan from the oven and prick the eggs with a fork several times all over the surface.  (Alternatively, you could cook in the microwave for about 1 minute).
7. Lay half of your fried plantain slices over the egg in a solid layer (like noodles).  Pour the meat sauce over the plantain layer (spread out to a uniform layer).  Next layer the rest of the plantain slices over the top of the meat sauce (like your second layer of noodles).
8. Beat or whisk the last 4 eggs (again, you may wish to add a dash of salt and pepper) and pour over the top of the pastelon.
9. Bake for 45-50 minutes.  Let rest 5 minutes before eating.  Enjoy!

Watch this video from my YouTube Channel to learn more about green plantains: