Pasteles Recipe 425

PASTELES RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the bell pepper purée: Add the bell peppers, garlic, onion, and cilantro to a food processor or blender and purée until well combined. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. Wipe out the food processor.
• Make the masa: Add the green plantains to the food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the kabocha squash, yautía blanca, and ripe plantains and process until completely smooth; this may take 5-10 minutes. Add the milk, salt, and butter and continue blending until well incorporated. Transfer to a bowl.
• Make the annatto oil: In a small saucepan, combine the achiote powder and olive oil. Warm over medium-low heat until the oil begins to shimmer slightly, whisking to ensure the achiote doesn't burn. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand for 1 minute.
• Add 1-2 teaspoons of the annatto oil to the masa mixture and stir to incorporate. Cover the masa with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use. Set the remaining annatto oil aside.
• Make the spiced ground beef: In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the ginger, chiles, and red onion. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the coriander and za'atar. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the spices are toasted and fragrant.
• Increase the heat to medium and add the ground beef. Season with the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and the pepper. Cook the beef is until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes.
• Stir in the reserved bell pepper purée and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Simmer for 15 minutes until the flavors have melded, adding chicken stock as needed if the mixture gets too dry--some bubbling liquid should always be visible.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the ground beef into a bowl, then cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use. Discard any excess liquid.
• Assemble the pasteles: Gather the banana leaves, annatto oil, masa, ground beef mixture, kitchen twine, offset spatula, and pastry brush, and set near a large, clean work surface.
• Heat a griddle or flat grill pan over medium-high heat. Working gently and carefully, lightly press one of the banana leaves onto the griddle with a kitchen towel. The leaf should quickly change color in the area where it meets the griddle. Rotate and repeat until the entire leaf has changed color and is hot and pliable.
• Place the banana leaf in the center of the work surface with the veins running horizontally. Brush the leaf with annatto oil. Scoop 4 tablespoons of masa onto the bottom center of the leaf. Scoop 3 tablespoons of ground beef into the center of the masa. Fold the bottom of the banana leaf up and over the filling to meet the top of the leaf, then fold the top of the leaf back over the center. Gently fold in the sides. Tie with twine to secure. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to form 16 pasteles total.
• Bring 2 large pots filled halfway with water to a boil, then salt generously.
• Lay the pasteles in the pots, being careful not to overcrowd, and cook for 30 minutes.
• Let the pasteles rest for 5-10 minutes before unwrapping. The pasteles can also be wrapped and frozen in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
• Enjoy!

PUERTO RICAN PASTELES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Brown the diced pork in olive oil in a large nonstick skillet.
• Add the sweet peppers, chopped onion, recaito, garlic, adobo, oregano, and bay leaf, stirring well. Cook until the pork is no longer pink inside. Remove the bay leaf from the mixture and set aside to cool.
• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, grate the peeled yautía and the green plantains (or cleaned and peeled yuca). Use disposable gloves, as uncooked plantains will stain your hands and kitchen towels.
• Blend the grated roots in a food processor until creamy.
• Place the masa over a cheesecloth or a fine-mesh sieve for at least three hours so the excess moisture drips out.
• Once the masa is ready, stir in the garlic, recaito, salt, and enough of the achiote oil to moisten the dough and add a little color. You are now ready to assemble and wrap the pasteles.
• Prepare a work surface to assemble and wrap the pasteles. If you have friends helping you, set up an assembly line. Prepare 20 (10 x 5-inch) banana leaves, 20 (8 x 4-inch) rectangles of parchment paper, and 20 (18-inch) pieces of kitchen string.
• For each pastel, lay out a piece of parchment paper, topped with 1 piece of banana leaf. Brush achiote oil in a rectangular shape on the center of the banana leaf.
• Spread 1 1/2 to 2 spoonfuls of masa onto the center of the leaf.
• Add 1 spoonful of pork filling and top with another spoonful of masa.
• Bring the edges of the banana leaf over the top of the pork filling. Then repeat with the other side of the banana leaf so that the masa completely covers the top of the filling.
• Bring the edges of the banana leaf together and fold down over the top.
• Fold the edges of the banana leaf underneath the package.
• Bring the top and bottom edges of the parchment paper over the top and fold or roll down the edges to make a horizontal seam. Tuck the ends under.
• Tie with a string in both directions. At this point, you can freeze any pasteles you are not going to cook and eat right away. Place them in resealable bags, date, label, and freeze.
• Bring a stock pot of salted water to a boil. Place the pasteles in the water, making sure they are submerged. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
• Using tongs, remove the pasteles from the boiling water and place them on a plate. Carefully cut the string of each with kitchen scissors and very carefully open the banana leaves and parchment paper. Place the pastel on a serving plate.

PASTELES

Steps:

• add oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the annatto seeds and heat for one minute to release their orange color.
• Remove from heat and drain the oil into a separate container.
• Discard the seeds and return half of the oil to the skillet.
• Return the oil to medium-high heat and add the pork and bacon. Brown for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic, onion, bell pepper, small green peppers, tomatoes, culantro, and oregano, and sauté for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in the chickpeas and olives (with their respective liquids), capers, and raisins.
• Cover and simmer over low-medium heat for 40 minutes. When done, uncover and allow to cool.
• Drain the broth into a separate container and set aside.
• Make the dough by peeling the plantains and the bananas, first cutting off the ends and running a knife tip lengthwise along one or more of the ridges.
• Insert and run a thumb just beneath the cut peel to lift and remove it. Peel the yautia.
• Place plantains, bananas, and yautia into a large bowl of salted cold water to prevent discoloring.
• You can grate them using the fine side of a hand grater, or instead, cut into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces for the processor.
• Fill 1/3 to 1/2 of the food processor or blender container with the cut vegetables, slowly adding broth to form a smooth, porridgelike mash. It should not be runny.
• Transfer the purée to a large bowl. If you run out of broth, substitute water as needed.
• Stir in the salt and the remaining annatto oil.
• Place a banana leaf on a sheet of parchment paper.
• Drop a scant 1/2 cup of the dough onto the center of the leaf and spread it several inches all around with the back of a spoon.
• Drop 2 tablespoons of the filling a bit off center. Fold each long side and then the ends toward the center.
• Slide the encased leaf toward the long edge of the parchment and wrap again.
• Fold end flaps over.
• Tie two pasteles together, with folded edges facing each other.
• To cook, put a batch (4 to 6 tied bundles) into a large kettle of salted boiling water and cook semicovered at medium-high heat for 30 minutes.
• Turn the bundles over and cook 40 minutes more.
• When done, drain them well, remove the strings and wrappings, and serve hot.

PASTELES

Steps:

• Make the sofrito: Place the chiles, bell peppers, onions, culantro, cilantro, garlic and pimentos in a blender and process until the mixture is fully puréed, scraping the sides of the blender as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use: This can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.
• Make the masa: Peel the bananas and plantains: Prepare a mixing bowl or large pot with water. Cut off the ends of the fruits, then use a knife to score and peel off the skin. Place the bananas in the bowl of water as you go so they don't discolor. (The skins can stain, so be careful as you handle them, or wear plastic gloves.) Remove the skin of the yautia with a vegetable peeler and add it to the water.
• Remove the bananas, plantains and yautia from the water and process until smooth: First, in a food processor fitted with the grating disc, shred each ingredient separately, dumping them into a large bowl as you go. Mix the ingredients together in the bowl, switch to the blade fitting, and process the mixture in batches until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the work bowl as necessary. The end result should look soft and fluffy like a purée. (Alternatively, you can grate everything by hand on the smallest holes of a box grater.) Transfer the masa to a large mixing bowl. At this point it can be refrigerated for a few hours, covered, while you prepare the pork, or frozen for up to 3 months.
• Prepare the pork: Cut the pork into small, rough chunks about 1 inch long by 1/2 inch wide, trimming away excess tough fat as you go. Place the pork pieces in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in the reserved sofrito, making sure all of the pork cubes are coated. Let the pork cook, stirring almost constantly, until it starts to release some liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the olive oil and let it cook for a minute or two, then stir in the seasoning packet.
• Let the pork cook for another minute or two, then stir in the olives and their brine, the tomato sauce and the chicken stock or water, and a pinch of salt. Let the liquid come up to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat. Let the pork cook at a simmer for 30 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through, stirring occasionally. There should be plenty of liquid in the pot at all times, so the mixture looks like soup, not stew. If it looks dry, add stock or water as needed.
• While the pork cooks, make the annatto oil: In a small saucepan, heat the oil and the annatto seeds over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to bubble. Lower the heat slightly and let the seeds cook in the oil until the liquid turns a bright pink-red. Turn off the heat and let the seeds sit in the oil until it cools. Strain the oil through a sieve or slotted spoon into a small mixing bowl, discarding the seeds. Set the bowl aside. (If the liquid does not immediately begin to turn red, your annatto seeds are too old.)
• When the pork is done, taste for seasoning, and add more salt if desired, then turn off the heat. Take 2 to 3 cups of the liquid from the pork and stir it into the masa until it is the consistency of thick oatmeal, soft but spreadable. You will still need about 2 to 3 cups of liquid to make the pasteles, so if your pot looks dry at this point, stir in a little water or stock so that you still have plenty of liquid, and taste for seasoning again.
• On a large, clean work surface, set up your pastel-making station: You will need the banana leaves, parchment paper, string, the annatto oil, the pork and its liquid, and the masa. To make each pastel, start with a piece of parchment paper in front of you, one long side closest to you. Use a soup spoon or a pastry brush to paint a very thin smear of annatto oil on the parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch border on the top and bottom and 4 inches on the sides. (This does not have to be perfect: It's just to keep the banana leaf from sticking.) Lay the banana leaf down on top of the oil, long side closest to you. Paint the banana leaf very lightly with the annatto oil. Spread 1/2 cup of masa on top of the banana leaf about 3/4 to 1/2 inch thick. The masa does not have to be a perfect shape: It can overlap the leaf in places and does not have to cover it completely.
• Spoon a scant 1/4 cup of pork pieces along the length of the masa in a straight line. Your goal is really a line of pork chunks along the center of the masa, so that each bite of pastel has a bite of pork. Add 2 olives to the masa, one near each end. Use a spoon to drizzle on a little more liquid as needed so that most of the masa is covered by a very thin layer of liquid. Don't overdo it: About a tablespoon or so of liquid per pastel is about right.
• To form the pastel, fold the parchment paper in half, from the bottom up, over the masa and filling so the 2 long edges meet. Fold those edges down to meet the edge of the pastel farthest from you. Press the paper down and crease the top edge. Fold the parchment in half again lengthwise from the top down, so it covers the pastel. You now have a long thin pastel wrapped in a tube of parchment, with multiple layers of paper on top. (This needn't be exact, as long as the paper forms a neat little package.)
• Working carefully, use the side of your hand to press and slide the masa on either side of the package into the center to give it a neat edge. Fold in 1 inch of the paper on the left and right sides to create small hems. Then fold both sides over the pastel. (If you have a few leaks, it's O.K.)
• Set this pastel aside, flaps facing downward, while you make its partner: Repeat the process above to make a second pastel.
• When you have 2 pasteles, stack them together so they line up, flaps facing inward. Use 1 piece of string to tie the pasteles together the same way you would a package, looping the string once across the long way and at least once across the short way. Make sure the string is tight and the pasteles are tightly tied together. Repeat this process with the remaining pairs of pasteles. At this point they can be frozen for several months, refrigerated for a day or two, or cooked and eaten immediately.
• To cook them, bring a large pot (or a few pots) of salted water to a boil and add the pasteles, either fresh or frozen, in a single layer. Let cook for 1 hour, or an hour and 10 minutes or so if they are frozen. Repeat with the remaining pasteles, then unwrap and serve right away.

PASTELLES

Steps:

• For the corn dough: Add the cornmeal, coconut sugar and sea salt to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Turn the stand mixer to a low speed and add 3 1/2 cups water followed by the melted butter. Once it starts to come together, turn the mixer to medium speed and mix for 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap touching the dough and allow to rest for 1 hour at room temperature. Once the dough has rested, make 24 equal-size balls, approximately the size of an ice cream scoop. Place all on a tray and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying out.
• For the filling: While the dough is resting, preheat a large rondeau pan to high heat. Add the vegetable oil and immediately add the ground meats. Saute until half-cooked, breaking up the meat as small as possible using a potato masher. Reduce the heat to medium-high, and then add the onions and saute for a couple of minutes until they start to soften. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Add the dried herbs and chiles and saute for 1 minute. Add the olives, raisins, chicken stock, tomato paste, capers and Worcestershire, and simmer over medium heat until the liquid is almost fully reduced and the meat comes to a paste-like consistency. Season with salt and then allow to cool fully.
• For assembly: Cover your prep surface with several layers of newspaper (this can be a messy job). Using an 8-inch pastelle/tortilla press, place a piece of a 16-inch long aluminum foil strip on the bottom of the press and top with a banana leaf. Lightly coat the banana leaf with oil and place a dough ball on top, rolling the ball over the leaf to coat it in oil. Brush a square of aluminum foil liberally with some vegetable oil and place on top of the corn dough ball. Press the dough using the pastelle/tortilla press until it becomes a flat, round piece of dough. Set aside the top square of foil to reuse.
• Remove the bottom piece of aluminum foil, banana leaf and flattened dough to a flat surface and place approximately 2 heaping tablespoons of the cooled meat filling on half of the dough, starting from the center out towards the edge, making sure to leave about a 1/2-inch rim of dough around the edge. Fold the half-moon of uncovered dough over the meat using the banana leaf and aluminum foil and press the edges together. Fold into a rectangular package, by first rolling it then sealing the ends by folding with the banana leaf and foil. Repeat until all the packages are complete.
• Bring a large pot of water to the boil and place as many packages as you want in the water until fully cooked and heated through, about 20 minutes. Remove from the water with tongs and place on a tray to cool enough so you can handle it, approximately 2 minutes.
• For the avocado cilantro root puree: Put the avocado, lemon juice and cilantro root in a food processor and process until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and then transfer to a non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Serve the pastelles hot with the avocado cilantro root puree.

GOURMET PASTELILLOS (MEAT PIES)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion, tomato sauce, olives, sofrito, sazon, garlic, and oregano. Bring to a simmer and cook until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.
• Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of meat mixture into the middle of a disco. Fold dough over, moisten edges, and press with a fork to seal. Repeat with remaining meat mixture and discos.
• Pour oil into a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Fry pastelillos until golden brown and bubbly, about 3 minutes each. Drain on paper towels before serving.

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS (PASTEIS DE NATA)

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt, and cold water in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough just comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough should be sticky; adjust with more flour or water to achieve what's shown in the video.
• Transfer dough onto a well floured surface. Dust a little more flour over the top. Knead for a minute or two to form a round. Cover and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Roll dough into a square about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour as necessary; dough should still be sticky.
• Spread 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the square using a silicone spatula, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Flip the unbuttered side over the middle of the square and fold the opposite end over it like a letter. Straighten the edges as needed.
• Turn dough with a bench scraper to unstick it from the counter; dust with flour. Flip and sprinkle more flour on top. Roll dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle, carefully stretching edges as needed. Spread another 1/3 of the butter over 2/3 of the dough. Fold into thirds. Transfer onto a lined baking sheet and freeze until butter is slightly chilled, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle dough with flour and roll into a square a little over 1/8 inch thick. Spread remaining butter over the dough, leaving a 1- to 1 1/2-inch border on the top edge. Dip your finger in water and lightly moisten the unbuttered edge. Roll dough into a log starting from the bottom edge. Dust with more flour and polish the ends as needed. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
• Combine sugar, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a pot. Boil over medium heat, without stirring, until syrup reaches 210 to 215 degrees F (100 degrees C). Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven 550 degrees F (288 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
• Whisk flour, salt, and cold milk together very thoroughly in a cold pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until milk thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks into the cooled milk. Add the sugar syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Strain custard into a glass measuring cup.
• Unwrap the dough and trim any uneven bits on the ends. Score log into 12 even pieces using a knife; cut through.
• Place a piece of dough in each muffin cup. Dip your thumb lightly in some cold water. Press thumb into the center of the swirl; push dough against the bottom and up the sides of the cup until it reaches least 1/8 inch past the top. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way with custard.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is browned and bubbly, and the tops start to blister and caramelize, about 12 minutes. Cool tarts briefly and serve warm.

DOMINICAN PASTELES EN HOJA AS MADE BY JULISSA CALDERON RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Bijol seasoning and cook for 3 minutes or until the oil turns reddish-orange and is aromatic. Set aside all but 2 tablespoons of the seasoned oil and return the pan to the heat.
• Add the red onion, garlic, beef, salt, pepper, and oregano and stir to combine. Cook until the meat is well browned, around 15 minutes.
• Add the tomato sauce and raisins. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until all of the liquid evaporates and the meat is tender. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Make the plantain dough: In a deep bowl, add the plantains, yuatía, chicken broth cubes, Sazón Goya powder, lime juice, some of the milk, Bijol seasoning, and reserved Bijol oil. Stir to combine, adding more milk as needed until the dough is seasoned to your taste, soft, tacky, and light orange in color.
• Lay a banana leaf on a clean work surface and brush the center with Bijol oil. Scoop 3 tablespoons of the plantain dough into the center of the square and top with 2 tablespoons of the beef filling. Fold the banana leaf in half, then roll up and tuck in the ends to seal. Tie tightly with twine to secure. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium heat and season with salt. Add the pasteles, cover, and cook for 40 minutes. Remove the pasteles from the pot.
• Unwrap and serve with ketchup and hot sauce.
• Enjoy!