Puerto Rican and African dishes are full of flavor and variety. The plethora of fruits and vegetables available in their subtropical regions makes for a wild time in the kitchen. Pastelón bridges the gap- if there ever was one- between my two cultures in a delicious way. In the traditional dish, slices of very ripe, fried plantains are assembled in alternating layers with flavorful ground beef picadillo and shredded cheese before being doused in eggs, and baked with more cheese. Clearly, even I have to admit that pastelón, which I don’t let anyone talk bad about, isn’t one of the healthier dishes in our recipe box.
Piñon has a layer of canned green beans with mashed plantain and hails from the south/west region of Puerto Rico. On the other hand, pastelón doesn’t and hails from the south/eastern region. As with most cultural cuisines each region has their own terminology and way of preparing things.
What do I use to keep Pastelón from falling apart?
What holds the pastelón together once it’s baked is an airy-egg binder.
In a small mixing bowl vigorously beat together 3 large eggs with a tablespoon of baking soda. The baking soda causes the eggs to bake up lighter and fluffier than they would without, which makes all the difference between a light, delicious pastelón and a pastelón omelet.
If you have an allergy to eggs, you can omit this binder altogether. Instead, add more cheese and do so in between each layer instead of in the middle and on top. This will bind the dish together like the egg does.
“When it comes to Puerto Rican comfort food, arroz con pollo or mofongo are usually the first dishes that come to mind. But I’m here to tell you about piñon,” writes recipe developer Gabriella Vigoreaux. “Like its close cousin pastelón, this cheesy layered casserole is often compared to lasagna, but the flavors couldn’t be more different. Ground beef is simmered with sofrito and tomato, then studded with raisins and olives to make a picadillo. Layered with mozzarella and fried sweet plantains and baked, it makes the ultimate sweet- and-savory mash-up. I’m willing to wager that no two Puerto Rican families make piñon the same way, and this is my family’s version, taught to me by my grandmother, Helga, and her sister Elsie. (I choose to omit what some would consider an essential ingredient, canned French green beans. This is not because I balk at canned vegetables—I just don’t like green beans!) You can add a couple layers of green beans into the mix if you want. Use store-bought adobo seasoning or make it yourself. Store-bought is much saltier than homemade, so if you go that route, don’t salt the meat or the sofrito.”
Piñon or Pastelon de Maduros (Puerto Rican Lasagna)
FAQ
Is pastelon Dominican or Puerto Rican?
What is the difference between Pionono and pastelon?
What does pastelon mean in English?
What is pinon made of?
What is the difference between pion and Pastelón?
In fact, even different regions of the same country often have different preparations or names for similar dishes. That said, the main difference I found is that although both piñon and pastelón are popular Puerto Rican dishes that layer plantains, the plantains in piñon are typically mashed before they’re layered out.
How to assemble pastelon?
Drain on a plate with paper towel, set aside. To assemble pastelon: Take your prepared square pan, start with a layer of plantains, then beef, then a fistful of cheese, repeat. You want to finish with cheese and plantains. Beat 3 eggs with 2 Tbs of milk, pour over the pastelón.
Does Pastelón have cheese?
According to him, and many other mainland Puerto Ricans, pastelón has no cheese. It must also include green beans—French cut. But for most Nuyoricans like me, cheese is a must and green beans are omitted. Some camps include all of the above, plus the addition of raisins.
What is pastelon lasagna?
Pastelon is the Puerto Rican version of lasagna, but instead of pasta, we use thin sliced sweet plantains, layered with savory meat & cheese.