Puerto Rican Pastelon (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

01 - 4 yellowish plantains, around 3-3.25 lbs.
02 - 1/2 cup cooking oil.
03 - 1 pound of ground meat.
04 - 1 teaspoon all-purpose adobo seasoning.
05 - 1 and 1/2 teaspoons sazón spice mix.
06 - 1 little white onion, finely diced.
07 - 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped.
08 - 1 tablespoon recaito or 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro.
09 - 6 pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced thin.
10 - 1 teaspoon small capers.
11 - 1 teaspoon dry oregano.
12 - 1 cup canned tomato sauce.
13 - 2 handfuls of shredded cheese, divided in two quantities.
14 - 2 big eggs.
15 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

# Instructions:

01 - Turn your oven to 350°F and grease a casserole dish (either 9x13 or 10x10) depending on your preference for the thickness.
02 - Carefully remove the skin from the plantains, then slice them lengthwise into super thin 1/4-inch pieces.
03 - In a skillet, heat the oil to 300°F. Fry plantain slices for roughly 1.5 minutes per side, just until both sides are golden.
04 - Place plantain slices onto paper towels to soak up extra oil. Keep one tablespoon of the oil in the pan for later use.
05 - Cook the ground beef in the skillet with adobo and sazón until browned, stirring occasionally for about 6 minutes.
06 - After removing the beef, toss in the onion, pepper, and recaito. Cook over medium heat until the veggies are nice and soft.
07 - Mix in the capers, oregano, and olives. Let it all cook together for another two minutes.
08 - Add the tomato sauce and put the beef back into the pan. Let the whole mixture bubble lightly for a short time.
09 - Add a base layer of plantains to the dish, followed by a layer of meat and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
10 - Build another set of layers the same way, saving the remaining 1 cup of cheese for later.
11 - Use the rest of the plantains to create a top layer over everything else in the dish.
12 - Mix the eggs with baking soda quickly until frothy. Pour the mixture over the top layer evenly.
13 - Put the dish in the oven, uncovered, and bake for 25 minutes.
14 - Sprinkle on the last cup of cheese, then bake just 5 minutes more until it melts nicely.
15 - Let everything rest for 15 minutes to make cutting and serving easier.

# Notes:

01 - A classic dish from Puerto Rico.
02 - Great for prepping ahead of time.
03 - A satisfying and filling main dish.
04 - Layers give it a unique presentation.

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