Pastelón (Plantain Lasagna)

Pastelón is Puerto Rico's beloved plantain lasagna — a layered casserole built from sliced fried sweet plantains in place of pasta sheets, picadillo (spiced ground beef) in place of ragu, and an egg-cream-cheese custard binding the whole thing. The plantains must be very ripe, with skins almost black, so they're sweet enough to balance the savoury filling; underripe ones will be starchy and dull. Slice lengthwise, fry until deep golden and pliable, then layer in a deep dish like a parmigiana. Beat eggs with a little milk and pour over before the final bake — that's what holds the structure when you cut into it.