If I enjoy a unique new dish somewhere it’s fun to attempt to replicate it back home.  Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t.

Last month in Tampa we lunched at La Tropicana, a large and popular cafe in trendy Cuban influenced Ybor City.

My Mom tried the Stuffed Potatoes – a Cuban specialty consisting of breaded and fried mashed potatoes with a ground meat, picadillo and spice filling.

I had one bite and ordered one for myself to compliment my pork sandwich.

Back home the next weekend I used this recipe from Taste of Cuba as a template to and recreate them. I boiled and mashed the potatoes while cooking and seasoning the ground beef. Next step, I rolled the mashed potatoes into cute little spheres and formed little pockets for the meat. I filled them, carefully covered them up and washing with egg before breading. Per the recipe I let them sit in the fridge for four hours then fried.

While of course made by my amatuer self they tasted reasonably similar to La Tropicana, but I forgot to get olives and white wine. My other error: My potato to filling ratio was slightly tipped in favor of potato, making them almost baseball size, so after frying up the outsides I had to bake them for a bit so they cooked throughout. But still just two of these made a hearty meal, and I’d definitely try again. Or fly to Miami.

Here’s how they turned out – with the original up top.

Related: Ybor City . Tampa