Recipe: Pastelón de arroz (Rice casserole)

Pastelón de arroz (Rice casserole)

A few years back, as part of an advertisement campaign, a certain local company had a funny commercial in which a newlywed husband called his wife on his way home to ask what she was cooking for supper. We never see the wife, but the husband gleefully repeats what she says:

- “Pastelón de arroz?!”

The following day the same scene repeats itself, with the husband slightly less enthusiastically repeating what his wife says on the phone:

- “Pastelón de arroz!”

Pastelón de arroz (Rice casserole)

As the story progresses, and it seems obvious that the wife cannot cook anything else than this dish, we hear him repeating with increasing despair:

- “Oh, pastelón de arroz…”

This story is apropos of nothing really, my husband and I just found the commercial hillarious, and every time I cook this delicious casserole (not really that often, in my defense) my own husband jokingly imitates the husband in the commercial and exclaims:

“Pastelón de arroz?!

Pastelón de arroz (Rice casserole)

The story ends with the husband hastily making a U-turn, after the umpteen time he hears “pastelón de arroz”, while telling his wife that he is in a meeting at the office and to “give it to Fido, I am sure he loves it”.

It’s a rare commercial that we remember nearly a decade after it aired, but this one was funny. It was like the husband was trapped in his own culinary groundhog-day reality.

OK, so it doesn’t take much to amuse us.

Aunt Clara

Pastelón de arroz (Rice casserole)

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 6 servings

Pastelón de arroz (Rice casserole)

There seems to be as many versions of this dish as there are homes in the Dominican Rep. This one is my family version.

Ingredients

6 cups of arroz blanco (see recipe)
1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese
1 lb. of ground pork
2 tablespoons of oil
1 1/2 cups of finely chopped spinach
1 teaspoon of basil finely chopped (may be omitted)
1 cup of tomato sauce (not the same as the one listed below)
1 onion diced into very small cubes
Pepper
A pinch of oregano
3 tablespoons of butter
1 1/2 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
2 cups of evaporated or whole milk
Salt

For the sauce

12 large tomatoes, seeded, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
A pinch of oregano
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Instructions

For the filling

Mix the ground meat with onions, basil, oregano, a pinch of pepper and 1/2 tablespoon of salt.
In a shallow pan heat oil over medium heat.
Add the meat and brown.
Add two tablespoons of water and the tomato paste.
Simmer covered over low heat. Stir frequently.
When the meat is cooked through (about 7 minutes) season with salt to taste.
Remove from the heat and reserve.

For the white sauce

In a separate pan heat up the butter over low heat.
Add the flour and stir vigorously until the two are well mixed.
Add the milk and stir until it reaches a uniform consistency.
Add half the cheese and keep stirring until it becomes a thick cream.
Remove from the heat and reserve.

For the rice with spinach

Mix half the rice and half the cheese sauce with the spinach.

For the rice with cheese

Mix the other half of the rice with the remaining cheese sauce.

To assemble

Apply oil to a 4-inch tall baking pan (this oil is not in the list ingredients).
Heat up the oven to 350 °F (175 ºC).
Spread the rice mixed with the white sauce. Press down.
Cover with the meat and top with the rice with the spinach. Press down.
Top with the remaining cheese.
Bake until the top starts browning.

For the tomato sauce

Heat the olive oil over low heat.
Cook and stir the garlic until it is cooked through, be careful that it doesn't burn.
Add the tomatoes and oregano.
Cover and simmer over low heat until the tomatoes are cooked through.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the casserole with the tomato sauce on the side.