It’s an old and traditional peruvian dish. Basically, it’s mashed potatoes stuffed with ground or minced beef, eggs, and some spices, all deep fried. It takes a little of work, but the result is amazing. We prepare each one to almost the size of a regular potato, but if you want you can make them a little smaller. This recipe is for 8 people.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of raisins
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) of white potatoes
- 4 eggs (3 hard-boiled, 1 fresh)
- 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 1/2 kg of ground or minced beef
- 1 cup of chopped onion
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 6 black olives
- 1/2 cup of peeled tomatoes, chopped and without seeds
- 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon of chopped cilantro
- Salt
- Pepper
Preparation:
Wash the potatoes. Cook in a pot with water and salt. When they’re ready, take out and peel.
Press and let them cool down. Knead with the fresh egg, salt and pepper until the dough get soft. Keep back. Now we’re going to prepare the stuffing.
Pour 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a medium pot or frying pan. Brown the onion and add the garlic. Mix with the meat and tomato. Cook for 5 minutes and add the parsley, cilantro, oils, hard-boiled eggs and raisins. Season with salt, pepper and paprika.
Flour your hands, take a portion of the dough (1/2 cup, more or less) and put it in your palm. Flatten it. In its center, put a tablespoon of stuffing and fold to envelop it, pressing to close well and giving it an oval shape. Flour it. Repeat with the resting dough and stuffing.
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Brown the potato and turn it carefully (you don’t want to break it). Serve with rice and onion sauce.
Note: If you want a trick to avoid breaking the potatoes while you’re frying them, give each one a thin coating of egg.
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Technorati tags: Recipes, Peru, Peruvian Recipes, Recipes with Beef, Recipes with Potatoes, Main Courses, Papa Rellena, Stuffed Potato.
Blogalaxia tags: Recipes, Peru, Peruvian Recipes, Recipes with Beef, Recipes with Potatoes, Main Courses, Papa Rellena, Stuffed Potato.
Papa rellenas sounds wonderful…a question..how are the eggs chopped? finely? Also, what binds the filling when put into the potato…about how much in each one? Also, how long necessary for cooking…4 tbsp oil is not very deep..why does it say “deep fried”? Thanks for your reply
Melissa,
Excuse me for the late answer. You can chop the eggs in medium pieces (1.5 – 2 cm). The quantity of stuffing depends on the size of the dough; you have to calculate it because its thickness must be enough strong to contain the stuffing while it’s being fried.
The quantity of oil will depend on the size of your frying pan. I suggest a little one; it will let you to save oil and fry well the potato.
When I wrote “deep fried”, I meant it needed to be fried very well.
Thank you, and good luck!
My mum makes them so yummy
It’s not deep fried, it’s just enough oil as if you were frying chicken snitzel or something similar.
When it’s getting fried, try not to move them around too much or the potato will split as it’s smashed and very delicate, so only held together with egg if you chose to coat them with a little as flower may not do the trick if you’re not careful(don’t use egg yolk).
If you have some stuffing left, you can always use that to eat with something else ie: rice, tortilla, etc. Mum always runs out of smashed potato, so we make the most of the stuffing
I’m hungry now, yummmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!
My in-laws made these when they visited for our wedding. These seriously are one of the best things I’ve ever had!! So savory and yummy. They served them with finely cut red onions in lime juice…fabulous!
My Tico husband and I are adopting children from Peru so we are searching for Peruvian recipes. We tried this one tonight and are completely satisfied. We used two eggs instead of one with the potatoes and they held together well. We got 16 stuffed potatoes plus leftovers of the meat mixture. This is definitely something we will try again.
Gracias Diego!
Laura