Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1 pound lean ground beef, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon sazón seasoning, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Stir to combine, breaking up the beef into smaller pieces. Cook until the beef is about half cooked, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add ¼ cup sofrito, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon diced pimentos, and 2 teaspoons drained capers. Stir to combine. Add ½ cup water or unsalted beef broth and 2 small bay leaves. Bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the beef is cooked through and the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Add a little more water or broth as needed to get the mixture to a saucy consistency similar to sloppy joes. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Remove the pan from the heat.

Peel 3 large plantains and cut lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices.

Option 1: Deep frying. Heat 4 cups neutral oil in a large cast iron or straight-sided skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Frying in batches so as to not crowd the pan, add the plantains and fry until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack fitted over a baking sheet and season lightly with kosher salt.

Option 2: Air frying. Frying in batches if needed, place the plantains in the air fryer basket in a single layer with space around each one. Coat lightly with cooking spray. Air fry at 400ºF until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack fitted over a baking sheet.

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

Place 2 large eggs in a small bowl and whisk with a fork until broken up. Grate 6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella or colby-jack cheese on the large holes of a box grater if needed, or measure out 1 ½ cups store-bought shredded.

Arrange a single, even layer of the fried sweet plantains in the bottom of the loaf pan. Top with half of the picadillo (about 1 cup) and spread into an even layer. Drizzle with half of the eggs. Gently tilt the pan to spread the egg out so that it coats the picadillo.

Sprinkle with ½ cup of the cheese. Repeat layering plantains, the remaining picadillo, remaining egg, and ½ cup cheese. Top with the remaining plantains. Carefully pick up the pan and tap it on a kitchen towel while shaking it a bit to release any air bubbles and help the ingredients settle together. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. If you’d like a browner top, turn the oven to broil and broil until browned in spots, about 1 minute. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serve with steamed white rice.