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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly oil a large baking sheet.
3 tbsp olive oil
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2. Peel the plantains and slice lengthwise into thin planks about the thickness of your little finger.
4 piece ripe plantains
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3. Toss the plantain slices with olive oil, salt, and black pepper, then arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4 piece ripe plantains,
3 tbsp olive oil,
1 tsp salt,
0.5 tsp black pepper
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4. Bake the plantains until deep golden and tender, turning once halfway through cooking, then set aside to cool slightly.
4 piece ripe plantains
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5. Finely chop the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic cloves.
1 piece yellow onion,
1 piece red bell pepper,
4 clove garlic
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6. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then sauté the onion and red bell pepper until softened and lightly golden.
3 tbsp olive oil,
1 piece yellow onion,
1 piece red bell pepper
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7. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, without letting it brown.
4 clove garlic
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8. Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook, stirring, until it darkens slightly and smells sweet.
3 tbsp tomato paste
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9. Add the crushed tomatoes, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, coriander, allspice, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper, then simmer for several minutes to meld the flavors.
1 tsp salt,
0.5 tsp black pepper,
1 cup crushed tomatoes,
1.5 tsp ground cumin,
1 tsp dried oregano,
1 tsp smoked paprika,
0.5 tsp ground coriander,
0.2 tsp ground allspice,
1 piece bay leaf
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10. Rinse and roughly mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher so some remain whole, then stir them into the sauce.
3 cup cooked chickpeas
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11. Add the chopped olives and raisins, then simmer until the mixture is thick and not watery, adjusting seasoning to taste at the end.
1 tsp salt,
0.5 tsp black pepper,
0.5 cup green olives, pitted and chopped,
0.2 cup raisins
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12. Remove the bay leaf, chop the fresh cilantro, and fold it into the picadillo off the heat.
1 piece bay leaf,
0.5 cup fresh cilantro
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13. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and lightly oil a medium baking dish.
3 tbsp olive oil
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14. Arrange a layer of baked plantain slices on the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping to cover the surface.
4 piece ripe plantains
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15. Spread half of the chickpea picadillo over the plantains, then sprinkle with one third of the shredded mozzarella and a little grated Parmesan.
1.5 cup cooked chickpeas,
0.5 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese,
0.2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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16. Add a second layer of plantains, top with the remaining picadillo, then another third of the mozzarella and a little Parmesan.
4 piece ripe plantains,
3 cup cooked chickpeas,
0.5 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese,
0.2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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17. Finish with a final layer of plantains and the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan, pressing down gently to compact the layers.
4 piece ripe plantains,
0.5 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese,
0.2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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18. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake until heated through and bubbly, then uncover and bake briefly to lightly brown the top.
1.5 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese,
0.2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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19. While the pastelón bakes, finely grate or mash the garlic clove for the crema.
1 clove garlic
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20. In a bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lime juice, grated garlic, honey, ground cumin, salt, and water until smooth and pourable; adjust seasoning to taste.
1 tsp salt,
1.2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt,
2 tbsp lime juice,
1 clove garlic,
1 tsp honey,
0.2 tsp ground cumin,
2 tbsp water
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21. Let the baked pastelón rest for several minutes, then cut into squares.
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22. Drizzle each portion generously with the yogurt crema and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro before serving.
1.2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt,
0.2 cup fresh cilantro (garnish)
By james