Papa rellena

Papas rellenas (Spanish: stuffed potatoes) are the most popular type of croquettes in Peru and other Latin American countries such as Chile, Cuba, Colombia, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The first recorded Latin American recipes were printed in the late 19th century, during a time when French cuisine (among others, e.g. Italian) was influencing those of Latin America.

Peruvian preparation

The dish is a baked potato dough into which a filling made of chopped beef and onions, whole olives, hard-boiled eggs, cumin and other spices is stuffed. Once prepared, the obloid mass is deep-fried. Potato flour is often added to give greater consistency to the dough. In Peru, the dish is usually accompanied with a "salsa criolla", or an aji sauce.

Caribbean variants

They consist of mashed potatoes stuffed with seasoned ground meat, various spices then deep fried. The dish varies in preparation and presentation from country to country. Papas Rellenas are a local favorite in heavily Cuban-populated American cities such as Miami and Tampa, in which the Cuban version consists of potato balls stuffed with seasoned picadillo.