Caribbean gastronomy is exuberant and stands out for the fusion of various cultures. The dishes are colorful and contain within themselves an explosion of flavors. In fact, the open nature of those who live in the Caribbean allows for the continuous integration of new dishes from all over the world and their topicalization.
One of the preparations that demonstrate this reality is this recipe for banana pasticho, also known as pastel on. In this Venezuelan pasticho, the pasta sheets of the Italian lasagna are replaced by fried plantain slices. Sweet and salty intermingle and form an unbeatable combination. Do you dare to try it? Then follow the instructions discover how to make banana pasticho and bon appetite!
Ingredients to make Banana Pasticho:
- 5 not very ripe bananas
- 200 grams of white cheese or mozzarella
- 50 grams of Parmesan cheese
- enough oil to fry
for the willow
- 250 grams of ground beef
- 1 onion
- 1 paprika
- 1 large chive sprig
- 5 large very ripe tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 pinch of pepper
- 1 pinch of cumin
- 1 pinch of oregano
- salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the béchamel
- 600 milliliters of whole liquid milk
- 50 grams of butter or margarine
- 50 grams of wheat flour already sifted
- 1 pinch of nutmeg
- salt to taste
How to make Banana Pasticho:
- To prepare this delicious banana pasticho, start with the meat and tomato sauce. For this, fry the meat together with the onion and garlic and let it cook very well
- Now, blanch the tomatoes, that is, cook them with a little water and a pinch of salt. The goal is to soften them for the sauce.
- Add the paprika and chives to the meat and stir a little.
- Meanwhile, blend the already boiled tomatoes and add the cumin, oregano and pepper. The amount of herbs and spices will depend on your taste.
- When the meat is ready and the vegetables are already integrated, pour the sauce into the pot and let it simmer over low heat for around 20 minutes or until you get a fairly thick sauce. Remember to correct the salt at the end.
- It’s time to prepare the béchamel sauce. This sauce requires attention and patience to make it smooth and without lumps. The first thing is to heat the milk. It shouldn’t boil; it’s just a little warm to make it easier to integrate into the next steps.
- Completely melt the butter over low heat, and then add the flour. The idea is to prepare the base of the sauce known as roux paste. Move it around constantly, preferably with a wooden paddle.
- Once the roux is formed, add the warm milk by tablespoons, whisking vigorously between each addition of milk. Be patient. If you add the milk abruptly, it will be lumpy and unpleasant to taste. As the sauce thins, you can add more milk. When you have added all the ingredients, add the salt and nutmeg.
- Allow it to boil for a few more minutes on low heat. During that time, keep stirring to prevent the flour from settling and burning. The final texture is not very runny, but not too thick either. Remember that béchamel cools and tends to thicken much more. Correct the salt when it is almost ready.
- When you have both sauces ready, it’s time to fry the plantains. You just have to chop them into slices that are neither too thin nor too thick. Fry them in plenty of hot oil and brown them on both sides.
- To assemble your plantain pasticho, start by greasing the mold and place a thin layer of béchamel. Cover with the plantain slices. The next thing is to cover with a layer of meat sauce and place another layer of plantain
- Add the béchamel and cheese, then another layer of slices. Now, you just have to repeat each of these layers until you reach the top of the mold.
- Remember that a part of the mold should remain freeso that the sauce does not overflow when it starts to boil in the oven. Finish with a layer of béchamel, white cheese or mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake at about 200°C for 30 minutes.
- When ready, don’t serve too hot! It is better to wait about 10 minutes for the banana pasticho to integrate a bit or it will fall apart when serving. Enjoy!
