Crispy Yuca Pastelón with Smoked Beef, Eggplant, and Puerto Rican Cheese

Name: Crispy Yuca Pastelón with Smoked Beef, Eggplant, and Puerto Rican Cheese
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Puertorriqueña
Ingredients: 2 lb yuca, peeled and cut into chunks; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 3 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup milk; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 lb smoked beef or cooked shredded brisket; 9 oz eggplant, small diced; 1 cup yellow onion, chopped; 3/4 cup cubanelle pepper, chopped; 6 tbsp Puerto Rican sofrito; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1/4 cup stuffed green olives, sliced; 2 tbsp fresh recao, chopped; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 cup beef broth or water; 6 oz Puerto Rican white cheese, shredded or torn; 1/4 cup breadcrumbs; 1 tsp sweet paprika

An original Puerto Rican-style pastelón made with layers of mashed, lightly crisped yuca, filled with sofrito-smoked beef, eggplant, olives, and recao, then finished with melted Puerto Rican cheese. It delivers homestyle island flavor with crisp edges and a tender center.

35 minPrep

55 minCook

90 minTotal

6Servings

Ingredients

Adjust servings

900 g yuca, peeled and cut into chunks (for hervir and majar)
8 g salt (divided)
45 g butter (for the yuca and the molde)
120 ml milk (tibia)
30 ml olive oil (divided)
450 g smoked beef or cooked shredded brisket (desmenuzado)
250 g eggplant, small diced (without pelar si está tierna)
150 g yellow onion, chopped (chopped fina)
100 g cubanelle pepper, chopped (without semillas)
90 g Puerto Rican sofrito (casero or preparado)
30 g tomato paste
45 g stuffed green olives, sliced
8 g fresh recao, chopped
1 g dried oregano
1 g black pepper
120 ml beef broth or water (for humedecer the relleno)
180 g Puerto Rican white cheese, shredded or torn (for gratinar)
30 g breadcrumbs (for the cubierta crujiente)
2 g sweet paprika (for the superficie)

Nutrition facts

per serving

470 kcal

Calories

24 g

Protein

38 g

Carbs

24 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

33 g

Net carbs

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

GlutenDairy

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F / 200 °C. Lightly grease a baking dish about 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inches) with 1 tablespoon of butter.
2
2. Place the yuca in a large pot with enough water to cover and add half of the salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until very tender. Drain well, remove any tough inner fibers if visible, and transfer to a large bowl.
3
3. While the yuca is still hot, add 2 tablespoons of butter and the warm milk. Mash until smooth but still firm enough to spread. Set aside.
4
4. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cubanelle pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
5
5. Add the eggplant, sofrito, tomato paste, dried oregano, and black pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until the eggplant is tender and the sofrito smells fragrant.
6
6. Stir in the shredded smoked beef, green olives, chopped recao, beef broth or water, and the remaining salt. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes over medium-low heat until the filling is moist but not runny.
7
7. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the sweet paprika. Set aside for the topping.
8
8. Spread half of the mashed yuca over the bottom of the prepared dish, pressing with a damp spoon to make an even layer.
9
9. Spread all of the beef and eggplant filling over the yuca. Evenly add the Puerto Rican cheese over the filling.
10
10. Cover with the remaining yuca, smoothing the top carefully. Drizzle or dot the surface with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
11
11. Sprinkle the breadcrumb and paprika mixture over the top. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes at 400 °F / 200 °C, until hot throughout and golden around the edges.
12
12. For a deeper crust, switch on the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching closely so the breadcrumbs and cheese do not burn.
13
13. Let the pastelón rest for 8 minutes before slicing. Serve hot.

Chef tips

For a firmer texture, let the drained yuca steam-dry in the turned-off pot for 2 minutes before mashing. If the smoked beef is already salty, taste the filling before adding all the remaining salt.

Substitutions

You can substitute the smoked beef with cooked shredded beef. Puerto Rican cheese can be replaced with low-moisture mozzarella or a semi-firm white cheese. If you do not have recao, use a smaller amount of fresh cilantro.

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 image
Cosori 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
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Illustrative image
TempPro 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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Illustrative image
T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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