World Flavors Cookbook

Paches de Papa

Guatemalan potato tamales filled with pork in recado rojo, wrapped in banana leaves — the highland alternative to corn tamales.

Cuisine: Guatemala

Ingredients

• 1kg potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 100ml lard
• Salt
• For filling: 400g pork cooked in recado rojo (tomato, dried chile, achiote, spices)
• Banana leaves, toasted over flame

Instructions

1. Mix mashed potato with lard and salt until smooth.
2. Prepare pork filling with recado rojo sauce.
3. Soften banana leaves over gas flame.
4. Spread potato masa on banana leaf.
5. Add pork filling in center.
6. Fold banana leaf to enclose. Tie.
7. Steam 50-60 minutes.