Cristina’s Rellenos de Papa

As a young girl, I remember my mother making Rellenos de Papa as an after school treat.  These heavenly treats are often served as an appetizer or side dish in many Puerto Rican homes.  Rellenos de papa are made by delicately filling mashed potato balls with perfectly seasoned ground beef or picadillo.  These potato balls are then deep-fried until crisp and golden brown.  The result: a delicious and fulfilling snack that is sure to please.

Rellenos de Papa

Serving Size: 1

Makes: About 8

Ingredients

2 cups of instant mashed potato flakes

3/4 cups of water

3 1/2 tsp of butter

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of black pepper

1 tsp of garlic powder

1 tbsp of minced Spanish olives

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup of skim milk

2 tbsp of corn starch

1 quart of canola oil for frying

For Picadillo

1/4 lb of lean ground beef

1 tbsp of sazon seasoning

2 tbsp of tomato sauce

1/4 cup of sofrito

For Sofrito

1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

2 tsps of olive oil

1 tsp of minced garlic

2 tbsp of chopped onions

2 tbsps of water

Directions

In a skillet, prepare the ground beef by adding sofrito, sazon and tomato sauce and minced Spanish olives until the ground beef is no longer pink and the juices have thickened slightly. Cool and set aside.

Picadillo

Heat canola oil in deep fryer or large stock pot until the oil reaches 375 degrees.

In a medium sauce pan, bring the water to boil and remove from heat. Add butter, milk, salt, pepper , garlic powder and stir until butter is completed melted.  Once combined, add the mashed potato flakes and stir until a thick mixture is formed.  Allow the mixture to cool slightly and then add the beaten egg.  Mix thoroughly until the egg is completely mixed with the mashed potatoes.

To make the rellenos, form and roll the mashed potatoes with your hands into medium-sized balls.  Once the mashed potato ball is formed, make an indentation in the center of the ball with your thumb to make a small cavity big enough to fill with the picadillo.  Fill the indentation with about 1 tablespoon of picadillo and press firmly into the center of the mashed potato ball. Carefully cover the filling with mashed potato by folding in the sides of the mashed potato ball until the filling can no longer be seen.

Place the corn starch in a bowl and roll the rellenos in the starch to form an even coating.  Once all the rellenos are formed and rolled in the corn starch carefully place them in the deep fryer for 10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Remove and drain the oil on a paper towel prior to serving.

Enjoy this alone as an appetizer or snack or you can also enjoy it as a side dish with your favorite afternoon meal.

Rellenos de Papa

Tagged: Latin Food, Puerto Rican Food