"She is amazing. One day we're all going to be waiting in line to get into her restaurants. I think she is going to be a huge star," Rach says of 22-year-old Brianna Peguero.
Here, she shows you how to make a Dominican-style casserole that layers seasoned ground beef with buttery, mashed plantains and melted mozzarella cheese.
Shopping Tip: Look for blackened plantains, which are a sign of ripeness. If plantains are not ripe, boil for at least 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Combine ground beef, onion, peppers, garlic, oregano, olives, and cilantro. Marinate for half an hour.
In a skillet, cook on medium heat as fat renders and until meat starts to dry out. Season with 1 ½ teaspoons each salt and pepper or to taste. When dry, add the tomato sauce and cook until sauce binds, about 5 minutes.
While beef is marinating, boil the plantains, 15 to 20 minutes or more depending on ripeness. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add 1 teaspoon salt. Drain the plantains, add butter and mash until it forms a mangu (or mash). Add olive oil.
In a 9-by-11-inch baking dish, spread ½ of the mash. Add ground beef mixture on top, then layer on 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining ½ of mash and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
Bake until cheese is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.