Papas Rellenas are stuffed potato dumplings from Peru. (Thanks Wiki, I already knew this!)
I am not advocating the use of Wikipedia as an isolated reference source, but I do find it a useful starting point...usually. On the topics of international dumpling culture, however, it appears that Wikipedia has some catching up to do! So I will endeavor to fill the gaps where Wiki falls short.
Forced to expand my powers of research beyond the first page of Google, I find that we have the African slave population of Peru to thank for this delightful dish. After being freed to the area of Chincha in the mid 1800's, the traditional cooking of this population became renown for its unique flavours and has since largely influenced Peru's culinary identity.
In my kitchen, however, we have Beata to thank for this culinary offering, who has scoured supermarket shelves across the nation trying to find the illusive 'minced aji pepper'. 'You can't get it in Australia!' She exclaims as she enters the kitchen. Upon closer interrogation I find that, by Australia, she actually means Toorak Safeway, and am less than surprised it has not graced these shelves. If anyone knows a minced aji supplier - kindly hook us up!
Pepper dilemma aside, the fry-up begins and an assortment of onions, beef mince, olives and raisins delve into the pan! Potatoes are being mashed and slowly but surely a mound of pots and pans amass to the side of the sink. Everything is coming together beautifully and I am overjoyed that the little morsels of meat remain safely inside their mashed potato casing...that is until the frying begins...
Now I'm not sure if it was the type of potato, the method of frying or if we just needed to add more egg to bind the damn things?! Either way, the pappas rellenas needed to pull themselves together so that we didn't fall apart!
Finally the Peruvian dumplings made their way onto out plates, mostly in one piece...and the one dumpling that refused to conform, Beata forced to by hand rolling it back into shape. I have to say I was a little sceptical about the olive and raisin combination, but the filling turned out beautifully! The potato on the other hand, is still a work in progress. I thought deep frying might be the go, but my sources tell me this is even more disastrous than pan frying. One smart online cookie suggests that powdered potato is the way forward. Aside from that fact that I refuse to venture anywhere near fake potato, this recommendation comes from the same man who banishes the traditional olives and raisins from his dish that give these dumplings their unique character and distinguish them from the humble cottage pie.
While it's back to the drawing board for the mash, I did highly enjoy the salty-sweet filling and recommend giving these troublesome suckers a go! And if you do happen to stumble upon the secret to frying mash in the process, please enlighten us, we'll be forever in your debt.
I am not advocating the use of Wikipedia as an isolated reference source, but I do find it a useful starting point...usually. On the topics of international dumpling culture, however, it appears that Wikipedia has some catching up to do! So I will endeavor to fill the gaps where Wiki falls short.
Forced to expand my powers of research beyond the first page of Google, I find that we have the African slave population of Peru to thank for this delightful dish. After being freed to the area of Chincha in the mid 1800's, the traditional cooking of this population became renown for its unique flavours and has since largely influenced Peru's culinary identity.
In my kitchen, however, we have Beata to thank for this culinary offering, who has scoured supermarket shelves across the nation trying to find the illusive 'minced aji pepper'. 'You can't get it in Australia!' She exclaims as she enters the kitchen. Upon closer interrogation I find that, by Australia, she actually means Toorak Safeway, and am less than surprised it has not graced these shelves. If anyone knows a minced aji supplier - kindly hook us up!
Pepper dilemma aside, the fry-up begins and an assortment of onions, beef mince, olives and raisins delve into the pan! Potatoes are being mashed and slowly but surely a mound of pots and pans amass to the side of the sink. Everything is coming together beautifully and I am overjoyed that the little morsels of meat remain safely inside their mashed potato casing...that is until the frying begins...
Now I'm not sure if it was the type of potato, the method of frying or if we just needed to add more egg to bind the damn things?! Either way, the pappas rellenas needed to pull themselves together so that we didn't fall apart!
Finally the Peruvian dumplings made their way onto out plates, mostly in one piece...and the one dumpling that refused to conform, Beata forced to by hand rolling it back into shape. I have to say I was a little sceptical about the olive and raisin combination, but the filling turned out beautifully! The potato on the other hand, is still a work in progress. I thought deep frying might be the go, but my sources tell me this is even more disastrous than pan frying. One smart online cookie suggests that powdered potato is the way forward. Aside from that fact that I refuse to venture anywhere near fake potato, this recommendation comes from the same man who banishes the traditional olives and raisins from his dish that give these dumplings their unique character and distinguish them from the humble cottage pie.
While it's back to the drawing board for the mash, I did highly enjoy the salty-sweet filling and recommend giving these troublesome suckers a go! And if you do happen to stumble upon the secret to frying mash in the process, please enlighten us, we'll be forever in your debt.
The Recipe- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped olives
- 1kg yellow potatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced aji pepper, or jalapeno
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 500g minced beef
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 egg
- Flour for dusting
- Salt and pepper to taste
Boil and mash potatoes. While potatoes cook, fry onions, garlic and pepper in oil until soft then add paprika and cumin and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add and brown the beef, then add raisins, olives and stock and simmer until most of the liquid is gone. Chill mashed potato overnight (this is probably where we went wrong!), add egg and season. Place a small handful of potato in one hand and make a well in centre. Fill the well with meat mixture then press potato around it to form a ball. Coat in flour then fry in at least 2inches of oil (this may also be where we fell short).
Buen provecho! x
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