Peruvian Causa Rellena con Pollo

I’ve always dreamed of travelling to Peru to visit the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu. I wondered whether I would be able able to handle the high altitude, the steep climb and the sheer drop off the side of the mountain (which didn’t turn out so steep after all)! I’m glad I accepted the challenge since it was an exhilarating experience!

One of the highlights of the trip was tasting local foods, which included guinea pig, one of the most popular dishes in Peru. Another popular dish is Causa Rellena con Pollo, lip-smacking layers of spicy mashed potatoes ‘stuffed’ with avocados and shredded chicken. My local tour guide explained that the recipe evolved from the war between Peru, Chile and Bolivia in 1879, when food was scarce. Women began collecting potatoes and other foodstuffs to help feed the soldiers, so they created this dish for soldiers to help “the cause” (or “causa“) of defending their territory.

Granted, the dish likely looked a bit more rustic ‘back in the day’, however the ingredients probably haven’t changed much over the years. The layer of mashed potatoes is usually flavored with lime juice and some yellow chili paste called Aji Amarillo. Besides ‘stuffing’ the potato layers with chicken, you could also use tuna or other vegetables such as carrots or peas.

This recipe makes a great side dish or could even be the feature dish of a ‘fancy luncheon.’ Move over potato salad, there’s a kid new in town!

You can find Aji Amarillo paste in a Mexican speciality supermarket or use another kind of yellow chili paste.

Making this dish is pretty straight forward. First, boil the potatoes with the skins on until cooked through, but still firm. Peruvians typically use yellow flesh potatoes for this recipe, so I used Yukon Gold for my dish. Let the potatoes cool a little, remove the skins, then pass through a ricer.

Next, add the lime juice, yellow chilli paste and seasonings to the mashed potatoes, then press the potato mixture into the bottom of a 4-inch pastry ring.

Next, add a layer of sliced avocados on top of the potatoes:

Followed by a second layer of potatoes, then a layer of shredded chicken:

Top the dish off with a final layer of potatoes, then decorate with a sliced boiled egg, cherry tomatoes and parsley sprigs.

If you haven’t visited Machu Picchu before, I highly recommend you put this on your ‘bucket list’!