Puerto Rican Style Stuffed Potatoes Recipes

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.

PUERTO RICAN-STYLE STUFFED POTATOES

Steps:

• Cook potatoes in boiling water 20 min. or until tender; drain. Place in medium bowl. Mash until smooth. Stir in cracker crumbs. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled.
• Heat dressing in medium skillet on medium heat. Add peppers and cilantro; cook 5 min., stirring occasionally. Add chicken and olives; stir. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.
• Heat oil in medium saucepan to 375ºF. Shape potato mixture into 5-inch patties with lightly floured hands, using about 1/3 cup of the potato mixture for each patty. Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture onto center of each patty. Fold edges of patties over chicken mixture to completely enclose filling. Shape each into oval shape, resembling a large potato. Add, 2 at a time, to hot oil; cook 5 to 6 min. or until golden brown. Drain well. Serve warm.

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.

QUESITOS (PUERTO RICAN CHEESE-STUFFED PUFF PASTRY)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut cream cheese into 1/4-inch thick slices; place cut side-down on a board and cut into logs.
• Place 1 cup sugar into a small bowl; place cream cheese logs into sugar and roll to coat. Set aside.
• Cut each puff pastry sheet evenly into 3 to 4 squares, no bigger than 5 to 6 inches each. Place 1 square in front of you with 1 corner pointing down. Place 1 sugar-covered cheese log about 1/3 up from the bottom corner; proceed to fold pastry around it in the same manner as an egg roll, with the bottom corner over cheese, side corners towards the center, then roll from bottom, up. Brush some water in the last corner to seal roll.
• Place quesito on the prepared pan, seam-side down. Repeat with all squares, making sure there is at least 1-inch between them.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Brush tops with corn syrup.

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.