Papa Rellena Cubana

Papa rellena — literally 'stuffed potato' — is one of Cuba's most beloved street snacks, a descendant of similar dishes across Latin America that arrived with the Spanish. A shell of seasoned mashed potato encloses a spiced picadillo filling of ground beef, olives, and raisins, then the whole parcel is breaded and deep-fried to a crackling finish. They are sold warm from trays on street corners throughout Havana.

Serves: 4 (makes 8 croquettes)

Ingredients

Potato Shell:

• 900g (2 lb) starchy potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp white pepper

Picadillo Filling:

• 250g (9 oz) ground beef
• 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
• ½ small onion, finely diced
• ½ green bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp (30ml) tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp salt
• 8 green olives, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 2 tbsp (30ml) dry white wine

Breading and Frying:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 150g (1½ cups) fine dry breadcrumbs
• 60g (½ cup) plain flour
• 1 litre (4 cups) neutral oil, for deep-frying

Instructions

1. Boil potatoes in salted water 15–20 minutes until very tender. Drain thoroughly and mash until completely smooth. Mix in egg yolk, salt, and pepper. Spread on a tray and refrigerate 1 hour until cold and firm.

2. Make the picadillo: heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Sauté onion and pepper 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add ground beef and brown, breaking it up, 5–7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, oregano, salt, olives, raisins, and wine. Cook 5 minutes until nearly dry. Cool completely.

3. Divide cold mashed potato into 8 portions (about 100g / 3½ oz each). Flatten each into a 1cm (½ in) thick disc. Place 1½ tablespoons of filling in the centre. Fold the potato around the filling, sealing well, and shape into an oval. Chill 30 minutes.

4. Dredge each papa rellena in flour, dip in beaten egg, then coat in breadcrumbs. For extra crunch, dip in egg and breadcrumbs a second time.

5. Heat oil to 175°C (345°F). Fry 3–4 at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning carefully, until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Cook's Notes: Cold mashed potato is essential — warm potato is too sticky to shape. If the potato cracks during frying, the filling was too wet; cook your picadillo longer next time. Papas rellenas reheat well in a 190°C (375°F) oven for 10 minutes.