3 Guys from Miami Cuban Food Recipe: Papas Rellenas (Cuban)

Fried Stuffed Potatoes

4 large potatoes, peeled and boiled
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs beaten
Dry bread crumbs
1 lb. Cuban seasoned ground beef or picadillo
Flour (enough to roll the papas rellenas in)
Peanut, vegetable, or corn oil for frying

Boil potatoes until they are fully cooked. Drain. Mash potatoes with the salt (do not add any butter, oil, or liquid!) and let cool.

Grab a handful of mashed potatoes, split the handful in half, and make each half into a little bowl by pressing in with your fingers. Stuff the indentation in each half with the spiced ground beef (recipe below) or picadillo. Bring the two halves together and smooth to make a round ball, about the size of an overstuffed golf ball.

Dip the ball into the beaten egg, and then roll in the flour until lightly covered. Dip the ball in the egg again and roll in the bread crumbs to coat thoroughly.

Important: Refrigerate the balls for two to four hours before proceeding to the next step. You may also freeze for later use, see "deep frying" note below.

Use a frying pan with enough oil to cover half the ball at a time. Heat oil to the frying stage (about 375º F) and drop each papa rellena into the hot oil. Let it cook for about two minutes or until golden brown. Turn the balls and cook the other half in the same way.

If you have a deep fat fryer, heat the oil to 375º F. place a single layer of papas rellenas in the basket, drop into the oil and cook for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Be careful not to overcook. Deep frying works best if the rellenas are frozen.

Cuban Seasoned Ground Beef

1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 large Green Bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
4 teaspoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon vinegar

Sauté the onions, and green pepper until the onions are limp. Add the garlic, ground beef, salt, cumin, black pepper, tomato paste, and vinegar. Continue to cook until the meat is completely cooked. Drain off excess fat and let cool.

Ingredients