Pastelon (Puerto Rican Layered Casserole) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup sofrito
8 green olives, finely chopped
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 cup recao
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
cooking spray
3/4 cup vegetable oil
6 large ripe plantains - peeled, halved, and each half cut lengthwise into 4 slices
5 large eggs
1 (9 ounce) package frozen French cut green beans, thawed and drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef; cook and stir until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes. Remove meat from pan; drain fat.
Place tomato sauce, sofrito, green olives, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, recao, and oregano in the skillet. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Return ground beef to skillet; reduce to a simmer. Cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes more.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Pour oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry plantain slices until golden, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Beat eggs thoroughly in a bowl; add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Line the bottom of the baking pan with half the plantains, overlapping as needed. Layer ground beef mixture, green beans, and remaining plantains; pour eggs on top. Top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until eggs are set and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes.