Buen Dia Reader,

A reader reached out and asked me for a papas rellenas recipe. Honestly, I love rellenos de papa, but I had never made them myself — so thank you for the push. I researched several recipes, developed my own version, and I have to say, I'm really happy with how they turned out. I still have some in the freezer.

A quick note before you start: this recipe is specifically for frying. If you want to bake them, coat them in egg and panko before baking. If frying from frozen, let them thaw first. I haven't baked them myself, but I imagine you can go straight from frozen to the oven. If you try it, let me know how they turn out — I'm planning to test that myself soon, too.

Rellenos de Papa

Ingredients

• 2 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
• 2 qt (8 cups) water
• 1½ tbsp salt
• 2 oz (4 tbsp) butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt — the salt helps the egg beat better
• 1 tbsp cornstarch for the mixture
• About 1 cup of cornstarch for coating your hands and the finished balls
• Picadillo at room temperature or cold
• Oil for frying

Instructions

1. Cook the potatoes in salted water that completely covers them. Boil over moderate heat for 30 minutes, or until a fork pierces the potatoes easily.
2. Drain the potatoes and mash them immediately — don't let them cool; the heat causes the moisture to evaporate, giving you a drier, better dough. Use a potato ricer for the best results.
3. Add the butter, beaten egg, cornstarch, salt, and pepper (or adobo). Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

1. Divide the dough into 12 portions. Use a kitchen scale so every ball is the same size.
2. Coat your hands with cornstarch and place a portion of the dough in your palm.
3. Work the dough open to create a well.
4. Fill with a piece of Gouda cheese or at least 2 tbsp of picadillo.

1. Bring the dough up and over to cover the opening.
2. Once sealed, roll the ball in cornstarch, looking for a light, even coating — no clumping anywhere. Set aside on a plate dusted with cornstarch. Repeat with the remaining portions.
3. Heat enough oil to fully submerge the balls to 375°F. Fry until evenly golden brown, two or three at a time, depending on your caserola — don't fry them all at once or you'll drop the temperature and the balls can fall apart. Remove and drain on absorbent paper.

I thought of documenting parts of the process for my testing notes, and then I realized the images would help you, too. It's not a polished shoot, but you'll get the idea. It’s like you are really looking into my kitchen.

Now, this recipe is not live at the Girl Meets Fire! That is why I am not sharing a link; instead, I am spelling out the steps and the test images. This is what it means to be part of El Corillo. If you make these, please leave a rating on the site when the full post goes live, or email me back and let me know how they turned out. And if you have a recipe request, send it my way — this one reminded me how much I enjoy cooking something for the first time. It might take some time to get to it. I do have a calendar for recipe shoots, but I will definitely follow through.

One more thing: I'm on a mission to document old, lesser-known Puerto Rican recipes — dishes made at home but not commercially, specific to a town or a family. In Arroyo, my family always talked about balajú. Did your family make something like that? A dish that isn't mainstream, maybe even town-specific? I'd love to hear about it.

Hasta entonces!

Zoé

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