Peruvian Pot
Rocoto Relleno
Arequipa's signature dish. Fiery rocoto peppers stuffed with a savory filling of ground beef, peanuts, olives, and hard-boiled egg, topped with melted cheese and baked in an egg custard.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Cut the tops off the rocotos and carefully remove the seeds and veins with a small spoon. Soak the peppers in salted water with vinegar and a tablespoon of sugar for at least 3 changes of water over several hours. This step is essential to tame the heat.
- 2
Prepare the filling: sauté the diced onion and minced garlic in oil until golden. Add the ground beef, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped peanuts, sliced olives, and chopped hard-boiled eggs.
- 3
Stuff each drained rocoto generously with the beef filling. Place a thick slice of queso fresco on top of each pepper to seal the filling.
- 4
Arrange the stuffed rocotos in a greased baking dish. Beat the eggs with the evaporated milk and a pinch of salt, then pour around the peppers to create a custard base.
- 5
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35-40 minutes until the egg custard is set and golden and the cheese on top is melted and lightly browned. Serve hot, traditionally alongside pastel de papa.
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