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Papa rellena
Stuffed potato croquettes
Papa rellena: Lima's fried potato croquettes stuffed with spiced beef, olives, raisins and egg
Torpedo-shaped and golden, papas rellenas sit stacked in the glass cases of Lima's sangucherías and market stalls, and they are just as often made at home on a weekday to use up a pot of mash. The shell is plain yellow potato with a crisp, thin crust; inside is a picadillo of minced beef with onion, ají panca, cumin, sliced egg, black olives and a few raisins for sweetness. They are eaten warm with a heap of salsa criolla and a spoon of ají sauce. The usual mistake is working the potato while it is still hot and wet: it turns gluey and splits in the oil, so let it steam dry and cool before shaping. Chef's tip: dust your hands and the croquettes with rice flour rather than wheat flour; it gives a thinner, crisper shell and keeps them gluten free. For a meat-free version, swap the beef for chopped mushrooms fried hard until dry.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the potato shell
- 2 ¼ lb yellow potatoesa dry, mealy kind such as papa amarilla or Maris Piper, scrubbed
- 1 ½ tsp saltdivided
- 1 egg yolk
For the filling
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 red onionfinely chopped
- 3 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 tbsp ají panca pasteor 1 tsp sweet paprika plus a pinch of chilli flakes
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 10 ½ oz minced beef
- 1 oz raisins
- 8 black olivespitted and sliced
- 2 eggshard-boiled and chopped
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For frying
- 4 tbsp rice flour
- 4 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor deep frying
To serve
- 1 bowl salsa criolla (optional)thinly sliced red onion with lime, ají and coriander
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Method
0/11 doneStep 1: Put 2 ¼ lb yellow potatoes in a large pan of cold water with half of ¾ tsp salt. Bring to the boil and simmer until a knife slides through with no resistance.
25 minStep 2: Drain the potatoes, peel them while warm and spread them on a tray to steam dry and cool until you can hold them comfortably.
15 minStep 3: Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry 1 red onion and 3 garlic cloves until soft and translucent.
6 minStep 4: Stir in 1 tbsp ají panca paste and ½ tsp ground cumin and cook for 1 minute, until the paste darkens and smells toasty.
1 minStep 5: Add 10 ½ oz minced beef, breaking it up, and fry over a medium-high heat until browned all over and cooked through (160°F if you check with a thermometer), with no pink left.
8 minStep 6: Stir in 1 oz raisins, ¼ tsp black pepper and the rest of ¾ tsp salt. Take off the heat, let it cool, then fold in 8 black olives and 2 eggs.
Step 7: Mash the cooled potatoes until completely smooth and knead in 1 egg yolk. It should feel like soft play dough that holds a shape.
Step 8: Divide the mash into 8. Dust your hands with 1 tbsp rice flour, flatten a portion into an oval in your palm, spoon in filling and close the potato around it, smoothing it into a torpedo with no cracks.
Step 9: Roll each croquette lightly in the rest of 3 tbsp rice flour and chill for 15 minutes so they firm up.
15 minStep 10: Heat 4 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry 2–3 croquettes at a time, turning gently, until deep golden all over.
4 minStep 11: Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm with 1 bowl salsa criolla.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does papa rellena take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of yellow potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
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