Puerto Rican Papas Rellenas Stuffed Potatoes Recipes

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.

NENA'S PAPAS RELLENAS

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, olives, raisins, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and paprika; heat through. , Drain potatoes; mash with garlic powder and remaining salt and pepper. Shape 2 tablespoons potatoes into a patty; place a heaping tablespoonful of filling in the center. Shape potatoes around filling, forming a ball. Repeat., Place eggs and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip potato balls in the eggs, then roll in bread crumbs. In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry potato balls, a few at a time, for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

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.

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.

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.

PAPAS RELLENAS - PERUVIAN STUFFED POTATOES RECIPE

Steps:

• Add the olive oil to a skillet on medium heat, add the garlic and sauté until translucent. Add the onion and stir until it is slightly brown. Once the onions just turn a little brown add the tomato and cook until very soft.
• Cook the ground beef on medium hight heat until brown and crop into very fine pieces like rice.
• Once the beef and brown add the sofrito, adobo, sazón, aji amarillo, dried oregano, black pepper and saffron. Stir very will to combine and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Place the beef in a large baking dish, spread it out and allow to cool.
• Bring a pot of water to boil with the cut pieces of potatoes and add the salt.
• Check the potatoes with a fork for softness. Once very soft drain them and rinse with cold water.
• Mash or use a potato ricer to get the potatoes very smooth with no lumps.
• Spread them out in the bowl and allow to cool. Once they are just warm to the touch add the beaten egg and corn starch then mix to combine. You should have a soft dough that is slightly firm and will hold a shape. Add more corn starch a little at a time to get the right consistency.
• I like to use an ice cream scooper to get the size papas rellena ball. Flatten the ball in the palm of your hand.
• Take about 1 Tbsp of the cooled beef filling and place in the center of the circle.
• Gently squeeze the sides up around the filling to encapsulate it and form a ball.
• Roll the ball in corn meal and set aside until ready to fry. I like to place all mine in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm them up before frying.
• Heat oil to 350°F and fry the papas rellenas until they are golden brown.

COLOMBIAN STYLE STUFFED POTATOES (PAPAS RELLENAS COLOMBIANAS)

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks, put them in a medium pot and cover with water and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
• Bring the potatoes to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until fork tender about 20 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes and mash with a fork or masher and set aside.
• Prepare the filling, in a large sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and add the onion, tomato, scallions, garlic, cumin, azafran, pepper and salt. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent, add the beef and cook stirring occasionally about 10 - 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl place all the batter ingredients and whisk until smooth and set aside.
• Divide the potato mash into 10 equal sized portions, about 1/3 cup each, and form each portion into a ball by rolling between the palms of your hands. Flatten into patties and place 1 ½ tablespoons of the filling in the center of each one. Shape the potato mixture with the filling into balls to enclose the filling completely.
• Fill a large heavy pot with vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat to 360° F.
• Dip the stuffed potato into the batter and carefully place them in the hot oil and fry for about 4 minutes or until golden, turning over halfway through. Remove the potatoes from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain in a plate with paper towels. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with Ají.

RELLENOS DE PAPA (PICADILLO STUFFED POTATO FRITTERS)

Steps:

• Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover them with at least 4 inches of cold water. Bring the water up to a gentle boil over medium-high heat and boil the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until a knife can pass through the center of the largest potato without resistance.
• Once soft, drain the potatoes in a colander and leave them to cool completely.The rest of the ingredients will be added once the potatoes are cool.
• Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the meat to the pan and cook the meat just until it starts to brown, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the green pepper, onion, and garlic to the pan. Sauté the meat until it is brown and the veggies are translucent, stirring occasionally, about 3 or 4 more minutes. Once browned, drain any excess fat from the meat and return it to the stove.
• Stir the sofrito, adobo, sazón, garlic and onion powders, oregano, and pepper into the meat. Heat these until fragrant or 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, sliced green olives, and capers to the pan.
• Heat the sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes, or until the picadillo begins to dry out slightly. The picadillo is done when it is thick, but not dry- like wet taco filling.
• Transfer the picadillo to a sheetpan and smooth it into an even layer. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow it to cool completely in the refrigerator.
• Once the potatoes are completely cooled, grate them into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the beaten egg, then use a potato masher (or fork) to mash them into a paste.
• Add the cornstarch and bijol to mixture and use your hands or a spoon to combine the mixture completely. The mixture should be pliable without being runny or too stiff. Press the potato mix against the sides of the bowl to help it cool down faster. Place a piece of plastic film against the potatoes to keep them from drying out, then put the bowl in the fridge to chill them completely- at least 1 hour.
• Set up the bowls of potato and picadillo near one another. Sift together the 1/4 cup of cornstarch and bjiol onto a small sheetpan.
• Divide the potato mixture in the bowl into 12 equal portions using a rubber spatula, about 1/2 cup each. Lay the plastic wrap you covered the potatoes in the bowl with over your hand and place a portion of the potato mixture into the center of your palm.
• Use the opposite hand to press the potatoes into a 1/4" thick disc. Place a mound (about 3 tablespoons worth) of chilled picadillo into the middle of the potato disc. Close the fingers of the plastic-covered hand to bring the potato mix up, and around, the picadillo, then gently pinch the potato mixture together to close the seam. Try make sure you're encasing the picadillo in the potatoes, with the least amount of filling poking out. Don't get frustrated.Add a little potato to any cracks in the surface if need be. Use the plastic wrap to smooth any cracks or crevices.
• Carefully lay your formed rellenos on a sheet pan while you mold the rest. Begin heating your frying oil over moderate heat to 360°F.
• *If you plan to air fry or bake the rellenos, skip the dusting of cornstarch. Once all of the rellenos are formed, dust your hands liberally with some of the cornstarch from the dusted sheet pan. Grab a papa and toss it gently back and forth to give them a light dusting of cornstarch. Too heavy a dusting will leave untasty clumps of cornstarch on the rellenos after frying.
• See notes in post on how to deep-fry safely. Once the oil reaches temperature, use a slotted spoon, preferably wooden, to gently slide a 2-3 rellenos into the hot oil. It's okay if the relleno sticks slightly to the sheet pan when you attempt to lift it. Just scrape up what was left behind and mold it back onto the relleno.
• Fry your rellenos for 6 minutes. After 1 minute of frying, use a flat spider to nudge the papas from the bottom of the pot. This helps them brown evenly without one side burning. Swish them around in the oil, carefully, as they cook to keep them from frying too close to one another.
• If the rellenos fall apart as soon as they hit the oil it is because they either aren't cold enough, or because you added too many eggs to the potato mixture (which shouldn't be the case). If it's the former, pop the sheet tray of rellenos into the fridge for an hour and try again. If it's the latter,try the fridge trick and if that doesn't work, brush them with oil and bake them, instead.
• Once the rellenos are done frying, use the spider to lift them from the oil and transfer them to a rack placed over a sheet pan and allow them to drain thoroughly. Continue frying the rellenos, making sure to allow the oil to come back up to temp before adding the next batch.
• Arrange the rellenos on a platter or wrap each relleno in deli paper. Serve with a bowl of mayo-ketchup (recipe below). Enjoy while hot.

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.