Puerto Rican Yuca Pastelón with Ground Beef, Sweet Peppers, and Golden Cheese

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Lightly grease a baking dish about 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inches) with the additional oil.

2. 2

   Place the yuca in a large pot, cover with water, and add half of the salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the yuca is very tender. Drain well and remove any tough inner fibers left behind.

3. 3

   While the yuca cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no longer pink.

4. 4

   Add the onion, sweet peppers, and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Stir in the sofrito, tomato paste, green olives, dried oregano, ground cumin, black pepper, and the remaining salt.

5. 5

   Pour in the beef broth or water and cook the filling for 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat, until juicy but not watery. Add the chopped fresh cilantro, stir, and remove from the heat.

6. 6

   Transfer the hot yuca to a large bowl. Add the butter, warm milk, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mash until you get a thick, fairly smooth puree.

7. 7

   Spread half of the mashed yuca in the greased baking dish, smoothing it with a damp spatula. Evenly distribute all of the beef filling on top.

8. 8

   Cover with the remaining mashed yuca, gently sealing the edges. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan evenly over the top.

9. 9

   Bake at 375°F / 190°C for 20 minutes. Then switch to broil or raise the temperature to 425°F / 220°C for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is nicely golden on top.

10. 10

    Let the pastelón rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving so the layers can settle and portion more neatly.