KESHI YENA: CURAÇAO STUFFED CHEESE CASSEROLE

Ingredients

Cheese Dome

• 1 pound of young Edam or Gouda cheese, shaved or cut 1/4 inch thick slices
• 2 eggs, beaten

Filling

• 3 medium sized tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 handful fresh parsley, finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper, finely minced
• 2 chili peppers, finely minced
• 2 medium sized yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon capers
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon raisins

For Serving

• 1 baguette, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

How to Make

Stage 1 - Pre-Cook Your Keshi Yena Filling

1. Take a saucepan over medium-high heat and add in a dash of olive oil. When heated, start by adding your sliced onions, garlic, bell pepper and chili pepper, which you'll cook for 2-3 minutes as they start to soften
2. Next, add your capers, parsley and raisins into the mix and stir well
3. Fold in your tomato paste and chopped fresh tomatoes. Mix everything well before letting everything cook for 2-3 minutes
4. After several minutes, add in your soy sauce and ketchup and again mix everything well
5. Cook everything for another 2-3 minutes, take your saucepan off the heat, then let it cool
6. Once cooled, move your filling into a mixing bowl, where you'll combine your beaten eggs with the cooked filling. Mix together well, then set aside. Make sure the filling isn't hot so as not to cook the egg.

Stage 2 - Compile Keshi Yena

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Start with an oven-safe bowl or cupcake tray. Dip a brush into your bowl of filling to get some flavored egg wash, and brush it along the sides of your baking dish
3. Next, take slices of your cheese and line it along your baking dish. Create a small “cradle” of cheese into which your filling will go
4. With your “cheese cradle” made, spoon some of your filling (as much as you can, depending on the size of your baking dish) into the middle
5. Close your filling in with more slices of your cheese across the top. Brush a bit of egg wash over the top layer of cheese, and place your cup of uncooked keshi yena into the oven
6. Bake your keshi yena for 45 minutes, which should yield a beautiful golden brown top on the melted cheese. At this point, take your keshi yena out of the oven and let it cool
7. Once the baking dishes have cooled, pop your keshi yena out of the baking dish and directly onto a place. Serve with some sliced baguette and enjoy!