Peruvian Causa

Makes 4 Servings 
Suggested On-Line Site for Peruvian Ingredients

Ingredients

For the Potatoes

  • 2 lbs frozen yellow Peruvian potatoes (can substitute Yukon gold, peeled*)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • salt & pepper to taste

After Potatoes are Cooked

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp aji Amarillo (yellow Peruvian hot pepper paste)
  • juice of 1-1½ limes
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the Crab Stuffing

  • 8 oz can fresh crab meat
  • juice of 1 lime
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp aji Amarillo (yellow Peruvian hot pepper paste)
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Additional Ingredients for Causa Layers

  • Botija (Peruvian) olives, sliced
  • 1 avocado, peeled and sliced
  • 1 hard-boiled egg, sliced
  • 8 cherry tomatoes, halved (2 per serving)
  • aji Amarillo aioli (aji Amarillo mixed with mayonnaise)
  • rocoto hot pepper sauce

Special Equipment

  • steamer pan or perforated baking pan
  • potato ricer
  • mold ring

How-to

Prepare Potatoes

  1. Preheat oven to 350-400º
  2. Add a small amount of water (about ¼") in a baking pan. Top the pan with a steamer rack and place potatoes on the rack in one layer.  Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and cook for 25-30 minutes, until tender
  3. With a potato ricer, rice all potatoes into a bowl while potatoes are still hot
  4. Season with salt and pepper, add the juice of 1-1½ limes, 1 tsp aji Amarillo (yellow Peruvian hot pepper paste) and ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil.  Mix well

Prepare Crab Filling

  1. In a separate bowl, mix crab meat, juice of 1 lime, salt and pepper to taste, 1 tsp aji Amarillo (yellow Peruvian hot pepper paste), mayonnaise and parsley
  2. Mix all ingredients and set aside

Layer the Causa

  1. Use a ring mold (or improvise with a plastic bottle with the ends cut off)
  2. Place one layer of potatoes, followed by the crab stuffing, avocado slices, hard-boiled egg slices, more potatoes, cherry tomatoes, olives, etc.  Make as many layers as you like and alternate ingredients as you prefer
  3. Drizzle with aioli and rocoto

*If using Yukon gold potatoes, preheat oven to 425º.  Arrange potatoes on a steamer rack. Steam over 1-2" of boiling water until tender throughout when pierced, about 30-35 minutes