Natalie's version of the Pastelon!

I never heard of the Pastelon, I was told it was called a Dominican Lasagna until I posted it and everyone started calling to school me on the name of it! Im going to be making this for years to come but of course making it my way with a twist of course.

Sorry for all who are Keto & Low-Carb because I really don't think there is a way we can ketofy it or make it low carb. Its the ripe plantains that really make this dish taste amazing.

So if your the person that allows yourself a cheat day here and there this is definitely one to remember or add to your cheat list!

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 packet sazon

1 tbsp adobo

1/2 tomato sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

4 tbsp sofrito

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped white onions

1/4 cup spanish olives

Salt & pepper to taste

Coconut Oil for frying

5/6 Ripe Plantains (black skins - the blacker the better)

3/4 cups cheese of choice (I used mozzarella & white cheddar)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

You will start by seasoning your ground beef with the adobo than add your vinegar, sazon, tomato sauce & paste, sofrito and olives.

Heat up a large skillet, once hot add your olive oil and add the garlic & onions. Once translucent which is probably 3/4 minutes add your ground beef and cook until done.

Start heating up the coconut oil in a large pan.

Peel each plantain by cutting off the ends, then carefully slice down the skin length-wise. Separate the plantain from the peel. You will need to slice each plantain into layers by cutting length-wise across the plantain. Each layer should be thin but thick enough to pan fry. Carefully fry each plantain layer. You want it to have a nice golden brown color, turning each layer halfway through so that both sides get a nice color.

***I didn't know there was a specific way to cut the plantain so I just cut them in thin rounds and fried them, it still came out amazing but I wanted you to know how to do it the authentic way so it resembles the real look of a lasagna noodle***

Once both sides of the plantain are golden brown, remove from oil and place on a paper towel cover with plate so the oil is absorbed. Repeat this step until all your plantains are fried.

Using a lasagna dish give it a good spray with a non stick spray of choice, I used avocado oil spray.

Now the layering begins, just think lasagna layers.. you got this!

The first layer will be plantains, make sure to cover the entire bottom of the dish.

Now spread a layer of the ground beef.

Now a layer of cheese.

You will continue layering your lasagna until your last layer is cheese!

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or golden brown!

Thats it! Your Pastelon is ready to be eaten!! Yummmm!!

Enjoy!

xoxo