A Peruvian criollo classic that hides a savory beef filling inside a golden potato shell. It is crisp outside and soft and juicy within, with the sweet-savory contrast that makes it unmistakable, while criolla sauce brightens every bite. One never seems like enough when it comes hot from the pan.
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Place the white potatoes and yellow potatoes in the pot with the cold water and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, removing the yellow potatoes first if they soften sooner, until a knife slides in without resistance while the potatoes still hold together and are not waterlogged. During the final 10 minutes, add two of the eggs in their shells; remove them when the time is up and cool them separately. While the potatoes finish, move on to the filling.
Heat a small portion of the oil in the skillet and cook about two thirds of the red onion for 5 minutes, until translucent with lightly browned edges. Add the garlic, ají panca paste, cumin, most of the pepper, and a little over one third of the salt; cook for 2 minutes, until the chile paste looks glossy. Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up with the spoon, until no pink remains and the pan is nearly dry. Turn off the heat, fold in the raisins, black olives, two thirds of the parsley, and the two chopped cooked eggs, then let the filling cool slightly while you make the potato dough.
Peel the potatoes while they are still hot and press them immediately. Add half of the salt and the remaining pepper, mix, and let the dough stop steaming heavily for 5 minutes. Add the remaining raw egg and mix only until the dough is soft, even, and moldable, sealing without sticking excessively to your hands; overworking it makes the potato gummy.
Thinly slice the remaining red onion and toss it with the lime juice, the remaining parsley, and the remaining salt. Let it sit while you shape the potatoes, until the onion is more flexible, glossy, and evenly seasoned with acidity.
Divide the potato dough into 6 portions. Flatten one in your palm into a thick disk, place cool or barely warm filling in the center, and close the potato around it; smooth the seam into an oval with no visible cracks or overly thin spots. Repeat with the rest, then coat them lightly in the flour, shaking off the excess.
Heat the remaining oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat; it is ready when a pinch of flour sizzles immediately without burning. Fry the stuffed potatoes in batches without crowding them for 5 to 7 minutes, turning carefully until they develop an even, firm, golden crust. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with the criolla sauce alongside; if the shell crunches while the potato stays soft around a juicy filling, it came out right. And that is it—break open the first one while it is still steaming, and that is when wanting another becomes a problem 😌
