Island Bites: Piñon or Pastelón (Puerto Rican Sweet Plantain Lasagna)
What is piñón?
Piñon (also known as pastelón) is a Puerto Rican. It is similar to a lasagna, but instead of using pasta, it is made with layers of fried sweet plantains and picadillo (seasoned ground meat).
Tips
- You could substitute onions, garlic, peppers and culantro for 1/4 cup of sofrito.
- To learn how to make sofrito visit: Island Bites Sofrito
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a couple tablespoons of oil. Add onions, peppers, garlic, tomato sauce, herb and spices and olives. Saute at medium temperature for 2 or 3 minutes. Add salt and peper. Let it simmer for 30 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat oil, enough to cover the bottom of a pan. Fry sweet plantain strips until golden. Set aside.
- Whisk eggs with 2 or 3 tablespoons of water.
- Layer half of the sweet plantain strips in a previously greased baking pan. Pour half of the egg wash over the plantains. Add the ground beef. Cover with half of the cheese. Layer the rest of the plantains. Add the rest of the egg wash. Top with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 40 minutes cover at 350. Let it rest before serving.
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 ripe sweet plantains, sliced into strips
- 3 lbs ground beef
- 2 oz smoked ham, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cubanelle pepper, diced
- 2 roasted red peppers, diced
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 6 culantro leaves, chopped
- 1 tbs dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 oz tomato sauce or puree
- (optional) pimento olives, sliced
- 4 oz mozarella cheese, grated
- 8 oz swiss cheese
- 3-4 eggs
- oil
- salt & pepper
Recipes you may like:
- Island Bites: Arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican pigeon peas rice)
Pigeon peas rice is a staple in Puerto Rico. During the Holidays, it is the official dish, alongside lechón asado (roasted pork). - Island Bites: Ropa Vieja (Caribbean Shredded Beef Stew)
Ropa Vieja is a popular dish of the Caribbean and the Canary Islands. The name "ropa vieja" means old clothes. It is a shredded beef stew in a tomato and peppers sauce. - Island Bites: Mexican Tostadas (plus Chunky Guacamole and Refried Beans recipes)
This recipe is a mexican version of an open sandwich. It has a layered "salad" on top of a flat crispy corn tortilla. Plus Chunky Guacamole and Homemade Refried Beans recipes. - Island Bites: Alcapurrias (Puerto Rican Green Banana & Root Vegetable Fritters)
Alcapurria is the favorite "street food" in Puerto Rico. It is a fried green banana and root vegetables dough filled with seasoned ground beef. You can also find seafood alcapurrias. - Island Bites: Papas Salteadas con Tocineta (Warm Potato & Bacon Salad)
A warm and delicious spin on traditional potato salad.
Comments
Brenda from Springfield, MO on June 22, 2013:
This looks very good. I can not rate to give it a try,
IslandBites (author) from Puerto Rico on May 20, 2013:
You could do individual portions in a muffin/cupcake pan.
Dianne Hunt from Maryland on May 20, 2013:
Love Pinon! I don't make it often cause my boys aren't too fond of plantains (I can't believe it!). Maybe I could make a smaller version of this for myself and my husband.
IslandBites (author) from Puerto Rico on April 22, 2013:
Hey :-)
Carlo Giovannetti from Puerto Rico on April 16, 2013:
Yumm, yumm! :-D
