PIONONOS

PLANTAIN CUPS

Make the picadillo. Add sofrito and ground beef to a pan over medium high heat. Cook until the beef has browned, breaking up the meat. Add seasonings, bay leaves, tomato sauce, and olives, stir and bring to a heavy simmer. Lower, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until beef is fully cooked.

Peel & cut the plantains. Cut the tips off the plantains and peel the skin. Slice plantains lengthwise to create ¼ inch thick strips (see image).

Fry plantains. Heat oil in a clean frying pan. Fry plantain strips in batches, flipping until golden brown on both sides. Transfer fried plantains to a paper towel lined plate to drain any excess oil.

Assemble piononos. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray. Line each muffin tin slot with a fried plantain, wrapping it around the pocket. Add a few tablespoons of the picadillo to the inside of the plantains. Fill the remaining space with the beaten eggs.

Bake. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit / 205 degrees Celsius. Bake the piononos for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are no longer liquid. I recommend placing a baking sheet under the muffin tin to prevent any grease from spilling into the oven.

Enjoy. Remove from the tins and let cool before enjoying!