Papas Rellenas with Picadillo de Pavo
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 40 to 44 Papas
- Total: 2 hr 10 min
- Prep: 45 min
- Inactive: 30 min
- Cook: 55 min
Ingredients
Picadillo de Pavo:
1/4 cup pure olive oil
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup Spanish dry sherry
1/2 cup small capers, well rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup raisins or currants, roughly chopped
5 tablespoons lightly rinsed and roughly chopped green olives
3/4 cup sliced scallions
Papas Rellenas:
3 cups mashed Idaho potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds potatoes)
3 cups mashed boiled yuca (about 1 1/2 pounds yuca)
5 extra-large eggs
1/4 cup chopped thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups picadillo de pavo
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons water
3 cups fine bread crumbs
Canola or peanut oil, for deep-frying
Directions
- Picadillo:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Put the turkey in the skillet and cook, separating the clumps of meat with a spoon or spatula, until crumbly and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the turkey and any juices to a bowl. Reserve.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter to a skillet and heat until hot. Add the garlic, onion and bell peppers, season with salt and pepper, and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the turkey, tomato, tomato paste, red wine, sherry, capers, raisins, olives, and scallions. Lower the heat to medium-low, season to taste, and cook for about 15 minutes until the flavors meld. Remove from the heat.
- Papas Rellenas:
- Combine the mashed potatoes and yuca in a large bowl. Lightly beat 2 of the eggs, and add to the potato mixture, along with the thyme, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Form the potato mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Using your thumb or forefinger, make a little well large enough to hold 1/2 tablespoon of filling in each ball. Add the filling and pinch the dough to seal. Pat the seam gently, then roll the ball to make it smooth and round.
- Bring out 3 shallow bowls, Put the flour in 1 and season with salt and pepper. In another, beat the remaining 3 eggs with the water. Put the bread crumbs in the third bowl. Roll each ball in flour, then in the eggs, and then in the bread crumbs to coat.
- In a deep fryer or deep pot, heat the oil to 375 degrees F. Drop the papas rellenas in the oil, in batches, and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve.