Here in Chicago we have Humbolt Park. It is a Puerto Rican neighborhood and has been for a very long time. They also sell the most delicous snacks and this one of them.
For starters I did not boil the potatoes because the dough would not form right and it would be too mushy. I have tried it and it did not work. A friend of mine a long time ago was explaining to me on how to fill rellenos de papas and alcapurrias.
Halal Pasteles With Arroz Gandoules <Click this link to the right first to start making it by making the sofrito and the meat filling recipe and take 4 russet or Idaho potatoes and scrub them nicely. prick all over with a fork and put them in a veggie steamer for microwave use and nuke them for 10 minutes or until the potato is soft. It should not take anymore then 10 minutes.
Peel the potato and cut them in to tiny pieces and mash them with a masher and add 1/4 cup of cornstarch and mix to make a dough.
Add 1/4 cup of corn oil to the skillet and let it get hot. While it is heating up take golf ball sizes of the dough and flatten it out with your hand or as Mrs. Rosario who is this friend who showed me this trick. Take two spoons the first one holds the dough and with the back of the other spoon make an indentation in to the dough and the one that you used to make an indentation with scoop up 1/4 tsp size and fill the indentation with and gently with the the same spoon after adding the meat in to the indentation which was made previously now filled with meat, fold until the there is a ball that is formed.
My best hand is my right hand and I am right handed. Otherwise do what is comfortable for you. After the balls with meat on the inside are formed, fry in hot oil in batches of 3 and grently roll all over until it is golden all over. Drain on paper towel and repeat until it is all fried up.
If you have anymore meat left either eat it with rice or make something else like alcapurrias .
This snack is wonderfully enjoyable.
benazir's blog 