Papa Rellena
From The Art of Peruvian Cooking by Tony Custer

Courtesy of Tony Custer
August/September 2007

All the proceeds from The Art of Peruvian Cuisine fully fund the Aprendamos Juntos program, which provides remedial support to children with learning difficulties in schools located in the poorest sections of Lima.

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These traditional potato croquettes are served at almost every criollo meal. They are delicious served at room temperature in summer or hot in cooler weather. 

1.	Place the potatoes in a large pot with plenty of salted water and boil until tender, about 20 minutes.

1.	Heat enough oil to cover the base of a large skillet and brown the meat, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the meat from the skillet with a slotted spoon and put to one side.
2.	Strain the potatoes well and when they are cool, peel them and finely mash them by pressing them through a sieve with the back of a spoon. Alternatively, you can use a ricer. Adjust seasoning, adding more salt if necessary, and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

3.	Work the mashed potato with your hands until it resembles a soft, smooth dough. Flour a work surface and your hands. Place about ½ cup of the potato mixture in the palm of your hand and carefully form a thin disc-shaped layer. In the center place about 1 tbsp. of the filling. If you like, you can make larger ones after a bit of practice.
4.	Carefully bring the sides of the potato layer together to cover the filling and form large croquettes. Dip each croquette in beaten egg and then coat with sifted flour. Heat ¼ cup of the vegetable oil in a skillet and pan-fry the croquettes until golden. Serve immediately with salsa criolla.

Tip: If you are not going to fry the croquettes immediately, do not dip in beaten egg, but rather dust with a fine coating of flour to keep them from becoming sticky.