Stuffed Potato Balls Papas Rellenas Recipes

NENA'S PAPAS RELLENAS

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, olives, raisins, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and paprika; heat through. , Drain potatoes; mash with garlic powder and remaining salt and pepper. Shape 2 tablespoons potatoes into a patty; place a heaping tablespoonful of filling in the center. Shape potatoes around filling, forming a ball. Repeat., Place eggs and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip potato balls in the eggs, then roll in bread crumbs. In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry potato balls, a few at a time, for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

PAPAS RELLENAS (FRIED STUFFED POTATOES)

Steps:

• Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two. Mash in a bowl with 1/2 teaspoon salt until no lumps remain. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion, green pepper, and garlic in the hot skillet until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly and no longer pink. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, pepper, tomato paste, and vinegar until the tomato paste has dissolved. Scrape into a mixing bowl, and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap or waxed paper, and set aside. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl, and set aside. Pour the bread crumbs and flour into separate, shallow dishes, and set aside.
• Once the potatoes and beef have cooled, form the potato balls: grab a handful of mashed potatoes, and split into two equal portions. Form each piece into a small bowl shape, and fill with the ground beef mixture. Place the two halves together, seal the edges, and smooth to make a round ball. Gently roll the ball in the flour to coat and shake off the excess flour. Dip into the beaten egg, then gently roll in bread crumbs. Gently toss between your hands so any bread crumbs that haven't stuck can fall away. Place the breaded potato balls onto the prepared baking sheet while breading the rest. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours, or freeze for later use.
• To cook, heat the oil for frying in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cook the potato balls in the hot oil in batches, using tongs to roll the balls around as they cook to ensure even browning, until crispy and golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate before serving.

STUFFED POTATO BALLS ( PAPAS RELLENAS )

Steps:

• Mix together the hot mashed potatoes, eggs, butter and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. Set aside and let cool.
• In a frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Stir to break up the meat.
• Add the sofrito, tomato sauce, oregano and salt to the cooked ground beef. Mix thoroughly. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Spread a spoonful of the potato dough mix in the palm of your hand. Make an indentation in the middle and stuff it with the meat mixture.
• Cover the filling with more potato dough. Shape into a ball. Dust the ball lightly with the remaining cornstarch.
• Repeat until mix is used up.
• Deep fry the stuffed potato balls until golden (about 2 minutes).
• Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Servings: Makes 12 to 16 potato balls.

PAPA RELLENA CON SALSA RANCHERA (STUFFED POTATO WITH SPICY CREOLE SAUCE)

Steps:

• For the potatoes: Start by putting the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with 8 cups cold water and add the salt; the water should taste a little salty. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer and cook until they feel tender when poked with a fork or knife. Drain and then mash, adding the milk and butter. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for at least an hour.
• For the filling: Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a deep skillet over high heat. Add the onions, garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Turn the heat down to medium-high and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the beef and tomato paste, cover and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for about 25 minutes. Remove the lid and stir; the consistency should look like thick chili. Transfer to a pan and spread the mixture out so it cools quickly.
• To assemble: Start by portioning the cooled potato mixture, about 8 ounces or enough to look like an orange when rolled into a ball. Next, take a ball and flatten with your palms while at the same time maintaining a cup shape in one hand. Then, with an ice cream scooper, fill the potato with the meat filling. Close and seal it with both hands. Repeat with all the potato balls. Set up 3 shallow pans, one with the egg wash and the others with the panko. Take a potato ball and put in the egg, then in the fine panko, back into the egg and then in the coarse panko. Once you have breaded them, put them in the refrigerator to firm up, about 30 minutes. Fill a deep pot about halfway with oil and heat to about 350 degrees F. Carefully drop the potato balls in the oil and fry in batches until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve with Salsa Ranchera.
• Start by heating a skillet with 5 tablespoons of the olive oil and adding the chiles and whole garlic cloves to toast for a few minutes. Then add the onions, bell peppers, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Then add the fresh tomatoes, tomato puree and stock, and reduce by a third at a low simmer; this takes about 15 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes. Then place in a blender and puree. Heat the remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil in another pan. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and add to the pan. Fry the sauce in the hot pan and reduce until thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

PUERTO RICAN PAPAS RELLENAS (STUFFED POTATOES)

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut into uniformly sized chunks. Place in a pot and cover with water. Salt the water about (2 tablespoons). Boil until cooked through and easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.
• Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Let any excess water evaporate. Mash with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, egg and butter.
• Flour your hands with cornstarch and flatten about 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes into a disk in the palm of your hand. Add a heaping tablespoon of picadillo to the center of the disk and bring the edges of the potato up and around the picadillo. Seal the edges and roll into a smooth ball. Repeat until all the potato has been used up, making sure to coat hands in cornstarch each time.
• Deep fry the balls in hot oil (about 350°F) about 5 minutes, turning as needed until they are golden brown all over. Serve plain or with mayoketchup or mojo de ajo for dipping, if desired.

COLOMBIAN PAPAS RELLENAS (STUFFED POTATO BALLS)

Steps:

• In a 2 quart soup pot, place the unpeeled, whole potatoes. Cover them with water and bring the potatoes to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, 25-30 minutes.
• While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium-high heat until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the ground beef and garlic and continue to cook until the beef has browned, 6-7 min. Add the tomatoes, cumin, and salt. Mix well. Add the cooked white rice and hardboiled egg. Mix well and cook, stirring often, until most of the moisture has been absorbed. 2-3 min. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• When the potatoes are tender, drain them. Fill the pot with a couple of changes of cold water, until the potatoes are cool to the touch.
• Peel the potatoes by hand and place them in a large bowl. Add the salt and mash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher, until they are smooth and no lumps remain. Set the potatoes aside.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and generously flour it. Set it aside.
• Generously flour your hands and scoop roughly 1/3 cup of the potatoes into your hand. (You may want to flour your measuring cup, if using one, to keep the dough from sticking. Or, just scoop roughly 1/3 cup using a rubber spatula.)
• Dust the dough in your hand with more flour and shape it into a ball, using as much flour as you need to keep it from sticking.
• Pat the ball into a 3-4 inch disc. (Again, adding flour as necessary.)
• Place 1 heaping tablespoon full of filling onto the center of the disc. Gently bring the edges of the dough up around the filling to seal the filling inside of the potato dough. Make sure the seam is well sealed. Place the finished ball onto the lined and floured baking sheet, seam side down.
• Continue with the remaining dough.
• Once all the potato dough has been used, place the baking sheet with the shaped Papas Rellenas into the refrigerator and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. (If you are in a time crunch, you could place them into the freezer for 30 minutes.)
• Remove the Papas Rellenas from the refrigerator.
• Fill a small saucepan with 1 ½ inches of oil. Heat the oil to 375F, checking the temperature with a thermometer.
• While the oil is heating, beat together the egg, milk, and flour in a small, deep bowl.
• When the oil is ready, carefully remove a shaped Papa Rellena from the baking sheet and dip it into the egg mixture. Once it is coated, immediately drop it into the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes on the first side. Turn it and fry for an additional 2-3 minutes on the second side, until it is completely golden brown. Remove the Papa Rellena from the hot oil and place it on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Repeat with the remaining Papa Rellenas. If you're up to it, you can fry more than one at a time, just be sure not to crowd the oil in your pot.
• Serve immediately with a fresh salsa.

PAPAS RELLENAS (CUBAN STUFFED POTATO BALLS)

Steps:

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, boil the potatoes until fork tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot away from the heat. Mash the potatoes or push through a potato ricer. It should be easy to shape into a ball (but don't shape them yet). Allow to set until cool enough to touch.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the meat is browned. Stir in the garlic and onion until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain excess grease. Add the tomato sauce and wine, then lower the heat to medium. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the olives and season with the spices and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for another 3 minutes then remove from the heat. If the meat mixture is not at the consistency you desire, you can transfer it to a food processor and pulse a few times to hash it up. This is completely optional.
• Scoop 1/4 cup portions of the potatoes and divide each in half. Press a dimple into the middle of each half to form small bowl like shapes. Stuff a tablespoon or two of the meat mixture into half of the bowls, then cover with the other halves and form a ball around the meat. None of the meat should be exposed.
• In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and flour. Dip each ball first into the beat eggs, then into the bread crumbs. Repeat for a crunchier texture. Layer on a lined baking sheet or large platter and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours before frying.
• Pour enough oil into a frying pan that is enough to cover half of the height of the balls. Heat the oil to 375 °F. Carefully drop the stuffed potatoes in the hot oil and fry on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and serve immediately.

COLOMBIAN STYLE STUFFED POTATOES (PAPAS RELLENAS COLOMBIANAS)

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks, put them in a medium pot and cover with water and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
• Bring the potatoes to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until fork tender about 20 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes and mash with a fork or masher and set aside.
• Prepare the filling, in a large sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and add the onion, tomato, scallions, garlic, cumin, azafran, pepper and salt. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent, add the beef and cook stirring occasionally about 10 - 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl place all the batter ingredients and whisk until smooth and set aside.
• Divide the potato mash into 10 equal sized portions, about 1/3 cup each, and form each portion into a ball by rolling between the palms of your hands. Flatten into patties and place 1 ½ tablespoons of the filling in the center of each one. Shape the potato mixture with the filling into balls to enclose the filling completely.
• Fill a large heavy pot with vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat to 360° F.
• Dip the stuffed potato into the batter and carefully place them in the hot oil and fry for about 4 minutes or until golden, turning over halfway through. Remove the potatoes from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain in a plate with paper towels. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with Ají.

PAPA RELLENA: PERUVIAN STUFFED POTATOES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the unpeeled potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes.
• Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them in a colander.
• When they are cool enough to handle, peel and mash the potatoes thoroughly (or pass them through a potato ricer ).
• Season the mashed potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Chill the potatoes uncovered for several hours, or overnight.
• Once the potatoes are very cold, stir the egg into the mashed potatoes until well mixed.
• Cook the egg in boiling water until hard-boiled and set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet. Add the onions, garlic, and aji pepper and cook until soft and fragrant.
• Add the cumin and paprika and cook 2 minutes more, stirring.
• Add the ground beef and cook until browned.
• Add the beef broth and the raisins and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until most of the liquid is gone.
• Stir in the green olives, if using.
• Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Peel the hard-boiled egg and chop it into about 6 pieces.
• With floured hands, place about 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes in one hand, and make a well in the center.
• Fill the well with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture and a piece of hard-boiled egg.
• Mold the potatoes around the beef, adding more potato if necessary to fully enclose the filling. Shape into an oblong oval with slightly pointy ends, about the size of a medium potato.
• Repeat with the rest of the ingredients; you should be able to make 6 croquettes. Coat each papa rellena generously with flour.
• In a deep skillet or deep-fat fryer , heat 2 inches of oil to 360 F. Set the oven to 200 F.
• Fry the potatoes in batches until they are golden brown.
• Drain them on a plate lined with paper towels. Keep the papa rellena warm in the oven until ready to serve.
• Serve with a side of ketchup, if desired, and enjoy.