Colombian Papas Rellenas (Stuffed Potato Balls)

Start the Potatoes

1. In a 2 quart soup pot, place the unpeeled, whole potatoes. Cover them with water and bring the potatoes to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, 25-30 minutes.

For the Filling

1. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium-high heat until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the ground beef and garlic and continue to cook until the beef has browned, 6-7 min. Add the tomatoes, cumin, and salt. Mix well. Add the cooked white rice and hardboiled egg. Mix well and cook, stirring often, until most of the moisture has been absorbed. 2-3 min. Remove the skillet from the heat.

For the Potato Dough

1. When the potatoes are tender, drain them. Fill the pot with a couple of changes of cold water, until the potatoes are cool to the touch.
2. Peel the potatoes by hand and place them in a large bowl. Add the salt and mash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher, until they are smooth and no lumps remain. Set the potatoes aside.

Making the Papas Rellenas

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and generously flour it. Set it aside.
2. Generously flour your hands and scoop roughly 1/3 cup of the potatoes into your hand. (You may want to flour your measuring cup, if using one, to keep the dough from sticking. Or, just scoop roughly 1/3 cup using a rubber spatula.)
3. Dust the dough in your hand with more flour and shape it into a ball, using as much flour as you need to keep it from sticking.
4. Pat the ball into a 3-4 inch disc. (Again, adding flour as necessary.)
5. Place 1 heaping tablespoon full of filling onto the center of the disc. Gently bring the edges of the dough up around the filling to seal the filling inside of the potato dough. Make sure the seam is well sealed. Place the finished ball onto the lined and floured baking sheet, seam side down.
6. Continue with the remaining dough.
7. Once all the potato dough has been used, place the baking sheet with the shaped Papas Rellenas into the refrigerator and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. (If you are in a time crunch, you could place them into the freezer for 30 minutes.)

For the Fried Papas Rellenas

1. Remove the Papas Rellenas from the refrigerator.
2. Fill a small saucepan with 1 ½ inches of oil. Heat the oil to 375F, checking the temperature with a thermometer.
3. While the oil is heating, beat together the egg, milk, and flour in a small, deep bowl.
4. When the oil is ready, carefully remove a shaped Papa Rellena from the baking sheet and dip it into the egg mixture. Once it is coated, immediately drop it into the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes on the first side. Turn it and fry for an additional 2-3 minutes on the second side, until it is completely golden brown. Remove the Papa Rellena from the hot oil and place it on a paper towel-lined plate.
5. Repeat with the remaining Papa Rellenas. If you’re up to it, you can fry more than one at a time, just be sure not to crowd the oil in your pot.
6. Serve immediately with a fresh salsa.