When I think of papa rellenas, it takes me back to 2006 during hurricane season. I remember we were about to get hit by a hurricane in South Florida and my siblings and I were helping my dad put up shutters right before the storm hit. It brings me back to this day because this was the first time trying papa rellenas. My mom used the left over picadillo to make these balls of magic.
“Papa rellena” translates to stuffed potato. It’s made by first making a ball of picadillo (ground beef) and then surrounding the outside of the ball with mashed potatoes. You then bread that ball and fry it. It is like a Sheppard’s Pie, but fried and without the vegetables. Cause if you are Cuban, you know that apparently, the only vegetables that grew in Cuba are onions, peppers and garlic. Peas and carrots? What are those. I don’t think I ever saw a carrot in my fridge growing up. Lets face it, if it’s not put into a sofrito, it has no place in a Cuban kitchen. Does Sedanos even sell peas? “Healthy vegetables? Yeah, I’ll pass,” said every Cuban ever.
Anyhow, I digress. Please enjoy this recipe and hey, who knows, maybe one day I’ll add some recipes with some “healthy” vegetables.
Papa Rellena
Ingredients
- 4 Idaho potatoes
- 8 tbsp butter
- 1 cup Bread Crumbs
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 lb cooked picadillo
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes and peel them. After, place in a pressure cooker and enought water to cover the potatoes.
- Cook in the pressure cooker for about 10 minutes.
- Release the pressure from the pressure cooker and drain the water.
- Place the potatoes in a bowl and add the butter. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Add more butter if they are still clumpy but you want them to hold their form, so you don't want them too watery.
- Cupping your hand losly, place a layer of mashed potatoes in your hand. Place about a tablesppon of picadillo in the middle. Cup your hands further to encircle the meat with the mashed potatoes. Add some more mashed potatoes to the top and form into a ball.
- In a seperate bowl, whisk two eggs together.
- Place the bread crumbs on a seperate plate.
- Dip the formed balls of mashed potatoes in the egg wash and roll the ball in the egg wash covering all sides. After place on to the plate with the bread crumbs and roll on all it's sides cover the ball with egg crumbs. Set aside and repeat with remaining papa rellenas.
- In a sauce pan or deep fryer, heat up oil over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, place the papa rellana in the oil, and cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.
- Once cooked, place on plate line with paper towel to soak up the extra oil.
- Finally, enjoy yourself a papa rellena!
Hi! Does this have an actual recipe like your other posts that I can print? Just wondering when to add the eggs pictured 😅 Thanks 😊
Hi! Thank you for asking! I guess the recipe never uploaded with post, but its uploaded now!