Puerto Rican Pastelón Is The Epitome of Comfort Food

[@Eagle00pr]

Thank you for being faithful to our recipe and cuisine. I’m happy that our food made it to ATK! Love ❤️ you guys!

[@christinep327]

THANK YOU for showing America how wonderful Puerto Rican food is!❤ My father was Puerto Rican. My Nana showed me how to make her version of "pastelitos," or mini pastries filled with pork, sofrito (she called it "cuchifrito"), and olives. Amazing aromas and taste!😋

[@ChristianMercadoAcevedo]

You did us well, Dan. This Puero Rican food scientist is proud of you.

[@tiffanyi5645]

🙋🏽‍♀️🇵🇷 Puerto Rican here (from Brooklyn by way of Santurce) This is a commendable recipe for a wonderful dish! 👏🏽 I would slice the plátano maduros thinner Sofrito Recipe; -Cilantro (if you can find it Cilantro Macho is the best one) -Recao (aka Culantro) -Garlic -Onion -Red Bell pepper -Ajicitos (small peppers that look and smell like they’re spicy but are not) -Fresh Oregano

[@james1467]

Yep, that’s the way I make it and a little extra. But you’re correct

[@mickeyrodriguez2084]

That's not Sofrito, that's Regaito , Sofrito has. Tomatoes & tomato sauce.I was raised with this & I make my own.

[@mrbear1302]

This is actually something I can eat as a diabetic. I just looked up plantains and they are relatively low GI. I didn't know that! Thanks Dan.

[@kareninalabama]

As a fellow diabetic, I thank you for sharing that! I've eaten maduros before and I love them. Great to know I don't have to cross them off my list. 😋

[@GayUberGeek]

Fried ripe plantains are medium-low GI (56-ish). So not bad, but not as good as green plantains (45-ish). Both are better than lasagna noodles (75-ish - other dried, extruded pastas are lower). Enjoy appropriately!

[@tonkabear2369]

Would you have to worry about the sugar in the plantains since so ripe?

[@mrbear1302]

@@tonkabear2369 the research I did didn't say anything about plantains and ripeness. I know bananas have different GI levels based on ripeness. The only thing concerning was that plantains are a lot times fried and they do soak up a bit of oil.

[@mrbear1302]

@@GayUberGeek Any kind of refined grain shoots my glucose through the roof. I am going to try this and see how it does. That is if I can find fresh plantains........I live in the northwest, so wish me luck!

[@jullesadams1398]

It's definitely delightful to see you both together once again!!!

[@thihal123]

You guys are putting out really interesting videos and more frequently. I really love it!! Bravo!!

[@heidid5275]

Wow! That looks terrific. Plate me up!!!

[@mofongotron]

Puerto Rican here and I’m super stoked to see this recipe featured! Any time I make this for a potluck it gets annihilated, haha. However, I’m in the “raisins in the picadillo” camp!

[@ubombogirl]

yes, yes, yes...i was going to comment that imho..."it ain't picadillo without the raisins"...yum-e!

[@christinedreams8099]

Absolutely! Raisins add pow to the sweet & savory component.

[@tiffanyi5645]

Where all my BORICUAS at???!!! 🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷❤️❤️❤️

[@isabelab6851]

Here…making comments

[@eespinosa64]

Wepa!

[@preciousheaven723]

@@tiffanyi5645 🙋🏻‍♀️

[@miltontorres9535]

Wepaaaaaa! 🇵🇷😎🙌🙏

[@RottedDollface]

🖤🇵🇷🖤🇵🇷🖤🇵🇷🖤

[@joycerodriguez6837]

The way presented is the real deal and I am Puerto Rican 😂, nothing unhealthy about it! Life is short, Carpe Diem🎉 at 74 I’m still a size 4 and fit and still savoring PR food ❤

[@asaldanapr]

Congrats that you are my age and a size 4. Pretty hard to do! Yes, this is the real deal and the best of PR cookery, besides arroz con pollo y habichuelas!

[@kareninalabama]

I agree with you, although it sounds like you may also be benefiting from good genes in addition to obviously taking good care of yourself. I had a coworker from the Philippines who only ate processed food and junk food; she refused to eat vegetables or anything healthy. She also was a non-stop eating machine, yet she never topped 100 lbs. She was just one of those lucky petite people with a great metabolism who can eat whatever they want and not worry about gaining weight.

[@gabyz6316]

My favorite home cooked meal when I’m home sick. ❤

[@78625amginE]

Nice comment. I hope I can find this sold nearby!

[@bethzaidasanabria8280]

I loooooooove it!!!! Saludos desde Chicago. 🇵🇷

[@jilllandgrebe2139]

I make friends with Latinos whereever I live so I can have some of this at the holidays. 😂😂❤❤❤❤❤❤ this stuff.

[@blatinoboi426]

As someone with Dominican blood, we make this too!! The biggest difference with ours is we mash the platanos. PS @ATK, please look into developing some Dominican recipes!! I suggest Mangu and Morir Soñando.

[@childofTheMostHigh4217]

And espageti con salchichon!😊

[@travelswiththecontessa5307]

I second this! Love Dominican cuisine!😊

[@annchovy6]

I’m Dominican- speak for yourself. Fried, thinly sliced plantains only. Pastelón with mashed ripe plantains is terrible.

[@RuthBonilla-hd1bs]

AS SOME WITH DOMINICAN BLOOD YALL COPIED ANOTHER ONE OF MANY PUERTO RICAN DISHES. DOMINICANS DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT THEY LIKE A BUT THIS DISH IS FROM PART OF A BORICUA DISH ,WHAT YALL DO IS COPY THEN CALL IT DOMINICAN THIS OR THAT...ITS CALLED ENVY AND COMPLEX.

[@jesusfernandez5248]

​@@annchovy6being Dominican, I've only tried it smashed. I'll have to try it the boricua way to see the difference it makes.

[@kaeros5521]

Nicely done aka Puerto Rican Lasagna 😋. 🇵🇷

[@stevef.8708]

Nothing beats a new video from Dan resulting in a happy day. I gotta try finding culantro and plantains so I can make this awesome looking dish! A bit of a challenge here in Tokyo but let’s see.

[@SharpAssKnittingNeedles]

Good lerd, I can't even get culantro in Colorado. You're setting yourself one hell of a challenge, but I bet the Philipinos have your back! Similar climate to PR and a much shorter trip than going to the Caribbean 😂

[@gibberishname]

it's like Puerto Rican Lasagna

[@Ang3lzzzzCr33dPR]

I'm born and raised in Puerto Rico unfortunately I'm not a fan of sweet plantains I guess it never paired with me but I'll admit this pastelon looks worth giving it another chance. I am however a huge fan of mofongo and tostones with any protein as my grandmother would make it often for us growing up along with empanadas and arroz con habichuelas guisadas. Puertorican cuisine is considered "criollo" which just means a mix of different things from different regions of the world mostly African, French, Spanish and Indigenous cuisines come together to form our own cuisine. This video has made me so homesick in a good way, thank you guys.

[@andivalachi8247]

Maybe you can counterbalance the sweetness - it already has tomatoes and vinegar (more acid, sour). I had the same problem with the chinese sweet&sour - when I landed in N America, +20 yrs ago, I found a place in Vancouver that made a delicious one - more sourish than sweet. Never since did I eat that combination - all the sweet&sour are crazy sweet. So, I made it myself and adjusted to my liking.

[@travelswiththecontessa5307]

I often make this dish with green plantains because I'm also not necessarily always a fan of the super sweet maduros, and even though it's unconventional as far as I can tell, I really love it

[@mercedesvalentin2068]

I always enjoy a great pastelon dish I do mine the same way right down the the sofrito the only diffrent is that after i slice my plantain I put soak my plantain in water with salt before frying them, it remove the bitterness from the plantain also make the plantain much sweeter.

[@apriljune5654]

Muy buena introducción. Esta receta es diferente de cómo mi abuela lo hacía, y le llamaba Piñon. Dependiendo de que parte eres, el nombre y la receta cambia.

[@BruceGinkel]

this has got some level 4 hard to find ingredients for my midwestern butt so ill have to try it if i ever get to PR or florida again.

[@awildamerced7760]

The hardest to find is the sofrito ingredients-if there is not latino food store- some regular stores sell decent ones. Just read the ingredients and make sure is as close as possible to that. I will runaway from those smelling like vinegar.

[@mercyrodriguez5780]

I am not Puerto Rican, I learned to make it in Puerto Rico, healthier, the plantains are boiled and mashed like potatoes, for every six plantains, one tablespoon of flour and one egg, and the rest is the same, layer of the mashed plantain, meat and another layer of the plantains. On top only a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, oven at 350 till it gets golden.

[@kareninalabama]

Thank you for sharing your version! While my taste buds LOVE fried maduros, my gut would prefer it if I boiled and mashed the plantains instead as you suggested. 😉😄

[@kareninalabama]

Oh, and I just read farther down in the comments that Dominicans typically make it with mashed plantain.

[@mercyrodriguez5780]

@@kareninalabama I am not Dominican either, Cuban born but raised in this country, I didn’t know, but now you mention it, I ate it at a house in Puerto Rico Rico, and their maid was Dominican, and she cooked it!

[@williamturnier9032]

That is exactly how my Puerto Rican made it and how it was served to me at restaurants in Puerto Rico.

[@mercyrodriguez5780]

@@Midori_Seabreeze I think bananas are too sweet and soft, but give it a try!

[@wandaramos2726]

Thank you for making something from Puerto Rico. My version is different but yours looks good

[@TheRio02]

Love Dan 🩵 he’s such a good cook

[@LauraRodriguez-Peace]

Que’ Rico! Delicious!🧡

[@whatwhodid7152]

An interesting not exactly traditional preparation and assembly, but by the looks of it every bit as delicious

[@jullesadams1398]

Thanks for making my day!!!

[@ubombogirl]

two of my faves...plantanos and picadillo...yum-e! just one thing...imho...it ain't picadillo without a few raisins 😁

[@bikeny]

From the other comments, it seems like you are correct. I don't even know what picadillo are, though. I will google the stuff.

[@ubombogirl]

picadillo is the meat mixture he layers in between the fried plantanos@@bikeny

[@RuthBonilla-hd1bs]

THIS DISH IS A PART OF MY PUERTO RICAN PEOPLE'S HISTORY IN THE U.S. AS PUERTO RICANS ARRIVE 40'S AND 50'S THEY LEARNED ABOUT THE LASANGNA BUT PASTA WASN'T TOO COMMON IN OWR PASTA SO INSTEAD THEY USED SOMETHING THAT GOES WELL WITH BEEF, OF COURSES SWEET PLANTAINS.

[@FlyingSnoopy]

Dan just wondering are you Puerto Rican? You mastered this like a pro.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Dan is back! Yay!

[@GRACIEHernandez-l2j]

That looks authentic ❤

[@williammarrero650]

Delicious ❤

[@PassiveAgressive319]

Looks delicious

[@jazzyflorida3757]

I love how diverse the dishes and chefs are since they made the change of removing the guy that hated spice lol 🤣

[@bikeny]

They had a chef that hated spices? Geez, what was he cooking? Sure, we all may not like every single spice out there, but I know I like a few of them.

[@bouchonaise124135]

that looks hella good. ingredient sourcing will be a little hard though.

[@gailaltschwager7377]

Thank you, Dan!

[@Nickrioblanco1]

I really miss pastelon since it has been almost 27 years since I moved out of Puerto Rico. It is one of the few ways I like platanos ( I am not a good Puerto Rican according to my family and friends from Puerto Rico).

[@thaisstone5192]

(347) Really interesting dish. Thought it would be a lot more complicated. I'd be more than inclined to give this a go. Thanks, ATK!!!

[@kirk3348]

Anything that incorporates platanos as a base is most likely great

[@tiffanyi5645]

Sofrito is used as a seasoning and should be moist like a thick smoothie. The raw sofrito and raw meat are usually cooked and browned together for this dish. Sofrito is also used in soups, stews, etc

[@naamadossantossilva4736]

I would fail at making this,i would just eat the fried plantains.

[@o-_-ojb]

Reminds me of the Friends trifle.

[@jjsmith3302]

😂 YESSSSS!!

[@DoughboyGod]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@taniaarroyo6986]

It's been so long since I've had this. I just may need to call my mother and ask her to make it.

[@aaronbailey23]

Where can I find the recipe for those fancy dumplings shown during their ad? 🤤

[@sitamohess3935]

Love fried plantain on hot buttered toast - nothing fancy or time consuming.

[@deborahcaldwell9775]

wow how Interesting!! I never… !

[@ccartist516]

thanks❤🎉

[@isabelab6851]

Puerto Rican here…my family traditional recipe is a bit different. We call this dish Piñon…pastelon is the one where the plantains are boiled and mashed…same idea as shepherds pie

[@eoharrison7499]

Thank you for saying this! That's what I thought as well, but couldn't remember the name, "Piñon"! ¡Qué Dios te me bendiga!

[@IBreiKeL]

Well, I am Puerto Rican born and raised en el campo and we call this pastelon. We most definitely do not boil em and mash the plantains. Even within the island people can have different names for the same thing and have variations to the same recipe. Doesn't make this the wrong way. Every pastelon I've had has been made the way Dan made it.

[@kaeros5521]

Boricua here! Definitely no boiling and mashing plantains . Folks have their owns variations but he kept it authentic with the frying 🇵🇷😋

[@isabelab6851]

@@IBreiKeL interesting. As crazy as this sounds, there are regional variations in the island. Piñon is the name we have used in my family (born and raised in Rio Piedras) for over 60 years. Also, my reference is Carmen Valldejuli. The Escoffier of Puerto Rican cooking

[@IBreiKeL]

@@isabelab6851 Yes, Valldejuli's book Cocina Criolla is a staple in Puerto Rican kitchens. However, her recipes are not what I would call "traditional". She was classically trained in French cuisine and most of her recipes are inspired or "enhanced" by French cooking methods. I can assure you most abuelas don't put green beans in their pastelón, this ain't no casserole.

[@LipstickOCD]

Puerto rican and you forgot the ajicitos dulces in the sofrito. That's very important. We also use bell peppers instead of the cubanelle if you really want to be authentic. Culantro or recao or shado beni (depending where you're from) is worth getting. It's available in any latin/carribean market. And once you're there, get the ajicitos dulces..It's right next to the scotch bonnets and they look just like them so be careful..lol

[@mrbear1302]

Ohh, so every single person in Puerto Rico makes it exactly the same with no variations. Thanks nice to know........😎

[@awildamerced7760]

Ajìes are good but not available as easy as in PR so sometimes we have to skip the ajíes. My mom has been cooking since 12 years (she is now 78) and have always used cubanelle peppers. Maybe depending on the region? I know some also like the sofrito to look red and use red bell peppers but not us. I guess is preference... but what would not be Ok is not using sofrito at all. LOL. Sofrito is the key for puertorican flavor. He should have said that people can make more quantity and keep in the fridge or freezer (for longer storage- some people place in ice cubes) so they dont have to be preparing all the time before cooking.

[@aidacordero6023]

I air fry the maduros; healthier than frying in oil.

[@cynthiawilson8294]

I wonder if the beaten egg went in first, would it be more evenly spread?

[@bikeny]

Yeah, but then he would not have had to do the little shimmy. 🙂

[@JessicaSantos-gb8ht]

Sooooo delicioso 🎉❤🎉

[@sanmurillo]

The dish tastes better if the ripe plantains are coddled rather than fried hard. I use melted butter and slowly fry until they are opaque. sweeter still.

[@christinedreams8099]

Is it possible to use less ripe bananas if one can’t find ripe plantains ?

[@WatchingNinja]

You can ripen the plantains by putting an apple and the plantains in a bag. I also found that I prefer unripe plantains. They cook down when fried. The texture of bananas are a bit different.

[@lindazee]

I suppose you probably could, but regular bananas are super soft and mushy when fried. It would be difficult to make, as their limp custard-like consistency would render regular fried yellow bananas too soft, gooey, and messy. Yellow plantains have a firmer, starching texture.

[@dankom1310]

This is by far one of my favorite dishes. It’s sweet, savory and a bit briney. I’m not obsessed with the Culantro and where you find plantains you can usually find a “Queso Blanco”

[@FrankJohn-z1i]

TASTE. DAM. GOOD. WITH. MY. 🍺 WILL. BE. WONDERFUL DAY

[@nildaacevedo2919]

We add a layer of cooked and seasoned French style string beans as a layer

[@michaeldiogenesbest6127]

The AdBanners are ANNOYING.......

[@michaelbaumgardner2530]

Meat and potatoes from a different country,interesting

[@kouklakee]

What can you substitute for the meat ?

[@SorayaEsfandiary_]

Peanut M&M's.

[@ElCapitan-w1v]

I make this all the time i boil my plantains then smash them like mash potatoes to ne its a little healthier that frying them

[@preciousheaven723]

He forgot our ají dulce in the sofrito.

[@maries1381]

cachucha pepper! I live in LA and can never find them locallly - I order them from Miami and have them shipped for all my frijole dishes as well as arroz dishes. :)

[@isabelab6851]

Indeed! Those are so hard to find! They are available in NYC and Orlando…everywhere else, we may do

[@ChIGuY-town22_]

We have them in Chicago.

[@SorayaEsfandiary_]

He didn't forget it, this is their version of the recipe. Besides, is not that easy to get some of the ingredients in The States.

[@preciousheaven723]

@@SorayaEsfandiary_ America's Test Kitchen (ATK) is located in Boston, Massachusetts' Seaport District. Yes, ají dulce is sold in Boston, Massachusetts, at a variety of locations, including Boston Terminal Market. Between 2010 and 2019, Massachusetts’s Puerto Rican population increased by about 30 percent from 262,804 to 340,893 so yes you can find Ají Dulce especially #ATK

[@wesleywmassey7134]

I've never tried plantains.

[@foolakadugie]

They are delicious! They are similar to a banana, but dryer and more starchy. They are sort of astringent, especially when unripe, but are great when fried. If you want them to be sweet, get the darkest, ripest ones that you can find. If you cook them until deeply brown like they do in this video, you will develop really wonderful caramel flavors. Green ones are more savory.

[@keithhepworth4934]

I have never seen culantro in my life and have no idea where to buy it.

[@SorayaEsfandiary_]

It's almost impossible to get in the US.

[@marsol8564]

I found some in an Asian market in the refrigerated section.

[@RuthBonilla-hd1bs]

For a healthier Pastelon my grandma boils and bakes the ripe plantain and uses turkey meat.

[@TheWibbo]

Carribean moussaka

[@jerzeq3]

good recipe but that sofrito is missing like 37 ingredients

[@jackiematsumura2649]

How about a pastele recipe. Maybe there can be casserole version?

[@user-ke4kz3in9j]

Oh boy, you let the secret out.

[@jullesadams1398]

❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@ArrowofDarkness]

Dan saying Sazón hurt my ears ao bad and thats after hearing Bridget say Pastelón. But kudos for being authentic!

[@SorayaEsfandiary_]

They are trying, you don't have to be an a-hole about it.

[@richardengelhardt582]

I live in SEAsia. There are no plantains in ourmarketshere

[@stevef.8708]

Plantains grow in south East Asia among other places though. Surely you can find some!

[@marynorbury-glaser182]

Why can’t we just have Dan?

[@SorayaEsfandiary_]

Exactly, the other one adds absolutely nothing.

[@jullesadams1398]

🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@nars2462]

I thought glass casserole dishes couldn't be baked over 325°.. you cooked this dish at 400°. Why didn't the glass crack?

[@awildamerced7760]

Please, all that work to prepare the meat? Puertoricans dont do that way. Save yourself some time and add the sofrito, sazon and cook until brown and add salsa to the meat and cook it a bit more so the salsa flavor and meat combine. That's it. No need to brown the meat separate.

[@SorayaEsfandiary_]

Who cares how puertoricans do it? This is THEIR version of the dish, get over yourself.

[@ReadySetBret]

the way he pronounced sazón :////

[@jullesadams1398]

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@arthurmorgan5937]

Americans often use the term "comfort food". Please, what does that mean? Thanks.

[@postmodernrecycler]

Lazy cooking that's based upon fat, starch, and/or salt and sugar. "Mac and cheese" is the classic example. Comfort food can also be a family dish that reminds you of home.

[@arthurmorgan5937]

@@postmodernrecycler I get several mutally exclusive definitions when I seach for the meaning. It may be defined by gender (sugar for women, fats for men) or various other factors. It seems to be a meaningless term?????

[@WatchingNinja]

​@@arthurmorgan5937 Comfort food isn't related to laziness or must have a certain amount of starch or fat. It's a dish you eat that makes you feel comforted. It often brings a sense of nostalgia and happiness. It often is dishes that aren't the healthiest, but you eat them when sick or sad. It's more about the experience. It's a very loose term. What is comfort food to one person is different for another.

[@arthurmorgan5937]

@@WatchingNinja Thank you.

[@lindazee]

​@arthurmorgan5937 it's not a meaningless term. "Comfort Food" is the type of meal or dish that reminds you of home or what a mom or grandmom made at home that made you feel loved. In many cases, Comfort Food is heavier on the starches and fats, but not always. A great example of American comfort food is meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, or chicken pot pie. It all depends on the background culture you've been raised in. In Italian-American homes, Lasagna is considered a comfort food. In African-American or sometimes Southern homes, a classic comfort food is a Mac and Cheese casserole. Pastelón is a type of comfort food for those of latino-caribbean heritage. What country are you from and what are some of your comfort foods?

[@trackzero0]

This is moussaka’s central/South American/ Caribbean cousin. The sofritto, though……meh. And definitely rough mash the platanos. Aye díos mio.

[@annchovy6]

Absolutely do not mash the plantains. Nobody wants mushy ripe plantains.

[@mickeyrodriguez2084]

That's not cilantro , that's culanto !!!

[@peterlarsen7779]

I was really curious about this dish and looking forward to it.... But you lost me completely with the culantro a.w.a. with the cilantro.... I just can't stand cilantro 😵‍💫😝🤢

[@mayrabonilla850]

I appreciate the fact that you want to make our food but please the PROPER pronunciation of our language, you pronounced every ingredient in Spanish so wrong.

[@james1467]

That’s not traditional Puerto Rican Sofrito. At least not the way I make it.

[@anactaneustheeleventh2542]

@james1467 Don’t be so negative.

[@SorayaEsfandiary_]

Nobody gaf about how you make it.

[@james1467]

It’s only negative if thats the way you take it. That’s my opinion and that’s what it is. Not everything in the world is Unicorns and Rainbows 🌈.😂😂

[@luvyesmusici4886]

Please talk an a Hispanic accent the entire time. Not just for specific words.

[@Dee_Rod]

No cheese please. I know it's heresy but this is one dish that shouldn't have cheese. Plantains and cheese iffy. Others mentioned some Parmesan type cheese. That would work much better. But no cheese would be best. Hot sauce for sure.. Pique!

[@saulgoodman2018]

I'd just keep out the olives. Those are so nasty.

[@stevef.8708]

I would try substituting with black olives.

[@lindazee]

Spanish cuisine is big on the olives, and gives it that extra bump of flavor, without a doubt. However, I suppose olives could be omitted and it would still be comparable. Just add a little extra vinegar instead. Perhaps you can try capers if that's more palatable to you. If so, it would be a perfect substitute, along with a few pieces of roasted red peppers.

[@jamesvlambert]

Thank you Dan. I love your segments. But please stop upspeaking.

[@ulyssesmelendres504]

Nope. Can’t talk with complicated words. Boooo…..

[@pilotdrift05]

Another great recipe from Mr. Sidemouth. The white Sammy Davis jr

[@anactaneustheeleventh2542]

Oh man I’m Puerto Rican and my grandmother RIP use to make it, it’s glorious. 🤌🏻❤️🇵🇷