Sheilin Santiago - Papa de Rellena

The smell of Rellenos de Papa brings me back to the Festival Betances and the Puerto Rican parade where there were many options for fritura (fried food). There were bacalaitos, pastelitos, alcapurrias and rellenos de papa. I would always choose the relleno de papa because of its crispy outside. It was a process to find ways to find the right recipe and we had to do a lot of critical thinking to make this dish come together. Rellenos de Papa are seen at Puerto Rican family gatherings, parties or as a street food snack. The term “rellenos de papa” translates to “potato stuffings,” which is the Puerto Rican term for it but places in Latin America call it papas rellena. Papas rellenas originated in Peru during the colonial era. Spaniards introduced the concept of fried, stuffed foods. Peruvians adapted it using mashed potatoes instead of dough. The dish spread through Spanish trade routes across Latin America. It reached the Caribbean, including Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans modified it by adding picadillo, sofrito, and local spices and began to call it rellenos de papa. Today, papas rellenas remains a popular dish in many Latin American countries. Now, rellenos de papa represent the heart of home cooking in Latin America.