FUSE TV - How to Make DaniLeigh's Pastelón From Scratch

DaniLeigh may be busier than ever, but she always makes time for her family. In this week's episode of Made from Scratch, we had the chance to catch up with DaniLeigh and her sister Brianna as they tackled their family's recipe for pastelón, that is Dominican lasagna with plantains. 

The dish is so big for the "Cravin" singer that she took a break from her vegan lifestyle to indulge in the decadant, cheesy meal. After a brief phone call with their mom for advice, the girls successfully made some delicious pastelón. Check out the recipe below, and try it out yourself! 

INGREDIENTS

(Adjusted to serve 6)

• 6 yellow plantains (platanos maduros)
• 1½ lbs ground turkey
• ½ onion chopped
• ½ green bell pepper sliced
• ½ bunch of cilantro roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup Mojo criollo
• Goya sazón
• Adobo seasoning 
• 2 bags shredded mozzarella cheese

METHOD

Blend onion, green bell pepper, cilantro, and mojo criollo into a purée. Place the ground meat in a mixing bowl. Pour the purée on top, add one tablespoon adobo, and mix thoroughly.

Heat a large pan with oil to medium-high. When ready, add the meat mixture to the pan and fry for 10 minutes or until meat is brown, breaking up the chunks into smaller pieces. Drain the excess liquid from the meat to keep the pastelón from getting soggy. 

Boil a large pot of water. Cut off the ends of the plantains, peel, and cut them into thirds. Add the plantains to boiling water, add 1 teaspoon salt, and cook for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Drain the water and mash the plantains (a fork, potato masher, or wooden spoon will work).  

Assembly

Line the bottom of a baking dish with a layer of mashed plantains, about 1/2 inch thick. On top of that add a layer of the ground meat. Add a layer of mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of plantains, another of the meat and a final layer of the mozzarella cheese. 

Pop it in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes. Serve with morir soñando, and enjoy with your favorite sibling. 

Check out some of our other recipes like Ally Brooke's Enchiladas, Dave East's Steak and Eggs, Rick Ross' Spaghetti and Catfish, and Saweetie’s Gumbo!