Puerto Rican FoodPuerto Rican Turkey, Sweet Plantain and Pigeon Pea Casserole with Mild Queso del País Cream
An original Puerto Rican-inspired casserole layered with ripe sweet plantains, sofrito-braised turkey, pigeon peas, and a light queso del país cream, baked until golden and juicy.
Ingredients
- 680 g ground turkey (preferiblemente muslo or mezcla magra)
- 3 units ripe plantains (large, pelados and cut a lo largo)
- 240 g cooked pigeon peas (escurridos)
- 170 g queso del país cheese (grated or desmenuzado)
- 240 ml milk (whole or 2%)
- 120 g sofrito (casero or preparado)
- 120 g white onion (chopped en cubitos)
- 12 g garlic (chopped)
- 240 ml tomato sauce (without sugar added if preferred)
- 180 ml chicken broth (low sodium preferiblemente)
- 45 g green olives (sliced)
- 2 g dried oregano
- 1 g ground cumin
- 2 g sweet paprika
- 6 g salt (or to taste, divided)
- 2 g black pepper (or to taste)
- 30 ml olive oil (divided)
- 28 g butter
- 16 g all-purpose flour
- 8 g culantro leaves (chopped)
- 25 g Parmesan cheese (grated finely for gratinar)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Lightly grease a baking dish about 33 x 23 cm (13 x 9 inches) with a little of the olive oil.
- 2
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the white onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- 3
3. Stir in the sofrito and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the ground turkey, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until no longer pink.
- 4
4. Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, green olives, dried oregano, ground cumin, sweet paprika, half of the salt, and the black pepper. Mix well and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until the filling thickens slightly.
- 5
5. Add the cooked pigeon peas and the culantro leaves to the turkey mixture. Cook 2 minutes more, taste, and adjust with some of the remaining salt if needed. Remove from the heat.
- 6
6. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in another large skillet over medium heat. Cook the ripe plantain slices for 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly golden but still holding their shape. Transfer to a plate.
- 7
7. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- 8
8. Gradually pour in the milk while whisking to prevent lumps. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until you have a light cream sauce.
- 9
9. Add the queso del país cheese to the sauce and stir until melted. Season with the remaining salt to taste. Remove from the heat.
- 10
10. To assemble the casserole, place a layer of ripe plantains on the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with half of the turkey and pigeon pea filling. Add one-third of the cheese cream.
- 11
11. Repeat with another layer of ripe plantains, the remaining turkey filling, and another third of the cheese cream. Finish with a final layer of ripe plantains and spread the remaining cream on top.
- 12
12. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the surface. Bake at 375°F / 190°C for 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top.
- 13
13. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving so it slices and holds its texture better.
Chef tips
For more caramelized edges, lightly brush the plantains with a bit of oil before browning them. The casserole also tastes better after resting a few minutes out of the oven.
Substitutions
You can substitute ground turkey with ground chicken. If queso del país is unavailable, use a mix of low-moisture mozzarella and a little mild cheddar for a similar creamy texture and browning.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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