This recipe, like in many others in Dominican cuisine, combine savoury and sweet flavors. For the filling, you may use vegetables, chicken or beef (or just use cheese).

Time: 50 Mins
Difficulty: Medium
Serve: 6 people

Before starting to cook: Butter up a baking 1-inch tall baking pan. Heat up the oven to 350 °F.

Ingredients:

• 6 very ripe plantains
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1 lb. of ground beef
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 small red onion diced into small cubes
• 1 green pepper
• 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
• Black ground pepper

Preparation:

1. Mix meat with pepper, onion, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper and garlic. In a shallow pan heat a tablespoon of oil. Add the ground beef and stir so it cooks uniformly. Add two tablespoons of water and the tomato paste. Let simmer at medium heat. Adjust water when necessary. When the meat is ready let all the liquid evaporate, adjust salt to taste. Turn off the heat and reserve.
   
2. Peel the plantains and boil adding 1 teaspoon of salt to the water. When the plantains are very tender turn off the heat. Take the plantains out of the water and mash them with a fork. Add the butter and keep mashing until it is very smooth.
   
3. Put half of the plantains mixture in the baking pan. Cover with 1/3 of the cheese and add the meat. Add another third of the cheese, cover with the remaining plantain mixture. Cover with the rest of the cheese. Put in he oven until the top is golden brown.
   
4. Serve with a few slices of avocados.

This is one of my favorite dishes in the world.. I usually make it when I have left over picadillo for the filling w/platanos maduros... My family loves it.. especially the spicy and sweet combo.

I love to cook plantain croquettes filled with cheese or ground meat. They are just wonderful and kids really love them. A whole meal with some rice and beans!!

I attempted to make this dish last year for the office. It came out pretty good. I was very proud, its not as difficult as it seems, well it seemed difficult to me.

Como siempre estoy buscando alternativas mas saludables hice una version mas 'light', de la receta clasica, por ejemplo:

Uso pollo ripeado en vez de carne molida.... por ejemplo pechuga que ya tengan en el refrigerador de un pollo horneado. sofrio mucha cebolla (1 .5..medianas a grandes)... en aceite de oliva, y con pasta de tomate y sazones estilo normal.

Y los maduros, los trituro con poquita mantequilla y le agriego el agua (salada) con las que cozi los platanos.... O, tmbien solo utilizo quezo en la capa superior del pastelon...

Es igualmente de delicioso que el original!!!!

Step 3 confuses me it says to let cool down and remove from pan is that correct?

I like removing it from the pan for a nicer presentation. But that is optional. I'll fix the instructions to show it.