Pastelón Lasagna (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

01 - 4 yellow plantains, fully ripe (weigh around 3 to 3.25 lbs).
02 - 1/2 cup cooking oil, like vegetable.
03 - 1 pound of ground beef.
04 - 1 tsp all-purpose adobo blend.
05 - 1.5 tsp sazón mix.
06 - 1 small white onion, finely chopped.
07 - 1 green bell pepper, finely diced.
08 - 1 tbsp recaito seasoning or 2 tbsp chopped cilantro.
09 - 6 green olives stuffed and sliced thin.
10 - 1 tsp small capers.
11 - 1 tsp oregano, dried.
12 - 1 cup of tomato sauce.
13 - 2 cups shredded cheese, split in half.
14 - 2 big eggs.
15 - 1/2 tsp baking soda.

# Instructions:

01 - Set the oven to 350°F and grease your chosen dish (use 9x13 or 10x10, depending on the thickness you want).
02 - Carefully peel the plantains, then cut them lengthwise and slice thin, about a quarter-inch width.
03 - Warm the oil in a large pan to 300°F, frying plantains until just golden, roughly 90 seconds on both sides.
04 - Lay the plantains on paper towels to remove excess oil and save 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan.
05 - Stir fry the ground meat with sazón and adobo until cooked through, approximately 6 minutes.
06 - Take the beef out of the pan, then sauté the onion, bell pepper, and recaito in the leftover oils until soft.
07 - Throw in the oregano, olives, and capers, letting everything cook for 2 minutes.
08 - Add the beef back in with the tomato sauce and let it simmer for a short bit.
09 - Lay some plantains at the bottom of your dish, then spread meat and toss on 1/2 cup of cheese.
10 - Add another round of plantains, beef, and cheese—save a final cup of cheese for later.
11 - Place the last layer of plantains on top.
12 - Beat eggs with baking soda until they get bubbly and drizzle that over the top.
13 - Pop it in the oven uncovered and bake for 25 minutes.
14 - Add that last cup of cheese and bake 5 more minutes until it’s melted and perfect.
15 - Set it aside for 15 minutes to cool so it slices nicely.

# Notes:

01 - A classic dish popular in Puerto Rico.
02 - Works great made in advance.
03 - Comforting and filling main meal.
04 - Built in beautiful layers.

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