Pastelon - (puerto rican lasagna)

[rockin-good]

Has anyone ever seen this dish in NYC? The best way I can describe it is like a lasagna only using yellow plantain instead of pasta. I've never had it, only had it described and it sounds really really good!

[BigMoGreenberg]

No clue, but if you do find it, please make sure to post a review

Thanks

[Jim Leff]

Rockin, this is a longshot, but are you sure you don't mean "pasteles", which are somewhat lasagna-like but really more akin to tamales, with plantain in place of corn meal? I kinda doubt it; pastellon DOES sound familiar.

The best Puerto Rican places in town are Casa Adela (66 Avenue C near 4th, 212–473-1882) and Abuela (1758 First Ave, near E91st St--917-492-1790).

If they don't make it (and I don't think they do) they might make it for you as a special, though you may need to commit to bringing X people with you. I'd suggest arranging that in person rather than over phone, though.

ciao

ciao

[chowbabe]

Sounds like pinon, which is a baked dish that has layers of sweet plantain, green beans, ground beef, sometimes chopped eggs, olives. I have not found it in NYC--yet. Have only had it homes in Puerto Rico.

[rockin-good]

That's it, I'm told there are several names for it. Would love to try it sometime!

[SLAP]

Someone in my cooking class mentioned that his specialty was Pastelone and described it as you have. He's not the type of guy to know where to get it but I'll ask...

[tugboat24]

Pinon -- available at Boca Chica on 1st avenue ... its the only place I've had it but it is very delish

Puerto Rican Lasagna -- I've never seen it on a menu but my girlfriend's mom (Latina but not from PR) cooks it at home on the regular. And yes instead of pasta its plantains as the "layer-maker" ... it's kind of a easily improvised dish. just fry up lots of maduros and use them as the layers betwixt your meat, sauce and assorted other goodies.

Or perhaps the "PR Lasagna" is the Americanized version of Pinon? Like Chop Suey. No Se! The menus I found online from a restaurant in PR uses Pinon and Lasagna interchangably ...

Bueno Provecho!

Link: http://www.islavieques.com/icmenu.html

[chowbabe]

I think at Boca chica they are called "pinonones" and it's a sweet plantain wrapped around some ground beef. Very different from the dish I am describing. Mine is baked in a pan, like a lasagna. The one you describe is an appetizer--a bite of sweet pantain wrapped as I describe.

[ironmom]

You could make it yourself, or find a volunteer.

Link: http://www.dollarman.com/puertorico/p...

[StriperGuy]

Pasteles are different then Pastelon and Piononos.

Pasteles are more like a tamale but made with plantain, bananas, and sometimes yautia or casava to make the masa.

Pastelon is in fact layers of ripe plantain and meat with a rich beefy sauce holding it all together. I usually describe it as a plantain lasagna myself.

Piononos are thin slices of plantain wrapped around meat to create a tasty savory ball.

Don't know of any place in NYC that makes Pastelon, but there must be one in Washington Heights or the Bronx! I know a Dominican place on 177th and B'way that might serve it, name eludes me.

I know a Dominican place, Cafe Miami, in Boston that I was turned on to by GalleyGirl a local chowhound that makes a mean pastelon.

If you ever make it to San Juan Puerto Rico, La Casita Blanca on Calle Tapia makes an amazing one, and all variety of "comidas criollas." It's almost worth the trip to San Juan just to eat 2 or 3 home style Puerto Rican meals at La Casita Blanca. I could write pages about the hospitality and fine traditional meals I have had there.

[Rita]

Yeah, you got it right. I grew up in PR and that's the kind of thing my family would eat.
The piononos are bound with egg (otherwise the meat would fall off) and toothpicks.
As somebody else said on this thread, these things are easy to improvise. Heck by just mixing fried ripe plaintains with nicely spiced ground beef you have a great combination right there.

[StriperGuy]

Nothing like home cooked food.

I mostly post on the Boston board. I'm a Jewish boy, but sort of honorary New Yorican cause I speak Spanish, grew up in Washington Heights, and have spent a decent amount of time in Boricua (that's another name for PR for the uninitiated).

Now if I could just find a place in NYC that makes a really good Mofongo... Best I ever had was in PR made by my buddies grandmother in Fajardo.

Might just have to make some myself :-).

[CJ]

Boobie,

To make yourself a good mofongo is very simple

2 green plantains
a few pieces of chicharon( pork cracklings) or fried salt pork
2 cloves of garlic
a pinch of salt
a tbsp olive oil
enough oil to fry the plantains
Some beef or chicken broth ( can use au jus from a can)

1-Peel the plantains
2-Cut then in round slices about 2" thick, fry them
3-When golden yellow take out of frying pan
4-Place on a paper towel to dry off
5-In a mortar mash the garlic thoroughly
6-Remove the garlic from the mortar and grind up the chicharon
7-Add the fried plantains to the chicaron and mash till all have been broken up
8- Add the garlic and the olive oil and continue pounding it until the garlic and the oil have become part of the plantain mix.
9-With the maceta ( pestle) form an indentation in the mofongo and remove gently from the mortar.
10- Invert on a plate, turn it upside down, fill the indentationwith a little broth serve the rmaining broth on the side

Bon appetit

[CJ]

Boobie,

To make yourself a good mofongo is very simple

2 green plantains
a few pieces of chicharon( pork cracklings) or fried salt pork
2 cloves of garlic
a pinch of salt
a tbsp olive oil
enough oil to fry the plantains
Some beef or chicken broth ( can use au jus from a can)

1-Peel the plantains
2-Cut then in round slices about 2" thick, fry them
3-When golden yellow take out of frying pan
4-Place on a paper towel to dry off
5-In a mortar mash the garlic thoroughly
6-Remove the garlic from the mortar and grind up the chicharon
7-Add the fried plantains to the chicaron and mash till all have been broken up
8- Add the garlic and the olive oil and continue pounding it until the garlic and the oil have become part of the plantain mix.
9-With the maceta ( pestle) form an indentation in the mofongo and remove gently from the mortar.
10- Invert on a plate, turn it upside down, fill the indentationwith a little broth serve the rmaining broth on the side

Bon appetit

[juan]

National Cafe 210 First Ave, (between 12th and 13th streets), New York, NY, 10009

[StriperGuy]

Whoops, forgot to include this link with a recipe for Pastelon.

Link: http://www.elcolmadito.com/USRecetasD...

[vero7]

yes it's definitely called Pastellon & it's just like lasagna except you cook it with platanos instead of the noodles. I have only ran across it once in a restaurant (Dominican) it was very good though. It's a little place in Manhattan (sorry don't know the name of it) but its very busy & only openned for lunch hrs which gets packed. I am not sure on the exact address, however its across the street from a Hess gas station so you can't miss it. It's on or around 10th Avenue, betw 44th & 45th street. Like i said not sure of address but look for the hess station on 10th & it's right across the street, next to a Chinese restaurant & a bodega right in the corner. They cook something different everyday, so you have to either call or pass by one day & ask when it will be made or maybe you get lucky & they have. Well hope this was of help to all you pastellon lovers, good luck & enjoy!

[LRS]

Pastelón and piñón are two similar dishes, the difference is the plantains are fried in one of them and boiled/mashed in the other. sometimes people use the terms interchangeably. I like them fried (then baked in the oven of course), it is very easy to make, all you need to make a great piñón is very ripe plantains. I also make a cheese pastelón piñón for my veggie friends. Most cafetines in the city don't carry pastelón or piñón but they do carry pionono, which is a very nice alternative.