Spanish Pastelillos Meat Pies Recipes

PASTELITOS DE CARNE (CENTRAL AMERICAN MEAT PIES)

Steps:

• On medium high in a large pan, cook the ground beef and drain extra fat. To the cooked beef, add in the rice, cilantro and salt to taste. Cook for about 2 more minutes to heat thru. Set aside and let cool for about 7-10 minute.
• Meanwhile, In a large bowl, mix the masa harina, paprika, chicken bullion and pepper.
• Using a Pastry blender or fork, cut the lard into the masa mix until the masa is crumbly and the lard is pea size or smaller.
• Add the warm water, 1 cup at a time, to the masa and using your hands, mix well until the water is fully incorperated. The masa should not be sticky or dry. If it is sticky add a little bit more masa (1 tspn at a time) or if it is dry add water (1 tbspn at a time).
• Rub a little bit of cooking oil into your hands to make the following step easier. Take out about 2 table spoons of masa and roll into a ball. Using a tortilla press or a rolling pin, make the ball into the size of tortilla but be careful not to roll out to thin. The thickness has to be twice as thick as a tortilla or about the thickness of a pita bread. If it is too thin, the pies will not hold when you stuff them.
• Heat your deep fry oil on a large frying pan on medium high heat (almost high heat).
• Place rolled out dough on a flate surface and add about 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture in the middle. Close in half (creating the shape of a meat pie or half moon). Seal in edges with your fingers and creat small indintations with the end of a fork all around the edge of the pie.
• Before frying, test oil readiness by dropping a small piece dough into the oil. If it automatically sizzles and floats to the top, it is ready. Carefully slide in meat pies into the hot oil and cook about 3-4 minutes per side or until deep golden brown.
• Drain very well on paper towels. You can also slightly press a paper towel against the fried pies to remove excess oil. You can serve whole over a bed of shredded green cabbage or cut in half and serve Sarita's All purpose Tomato Sauce on the side.

PUERTO RICAN SHEPHERD PIE (PASTELON)

Steps:

• To make sofrito: Place the onion, bell pepper, parsley, cilantro, culantro, garlic, and water into a blender. Cover, and puree until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Stir in 2 tablespoons of sofrito into the beef, then season with sazon, pepper, and adobo. Drain and discard any excess grease; set aside.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat a skillet over medium heat. Arrange the plantains in the skillet and pan fry until golden and softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Layer half of the plantains in a deep baking dish, making sure to cover the entire bottom of the dish. Pour 4 beaten eggs over the plantains, then spread the beef on top. Layer the green beans over the beef, then arrange the remaining plantains on top. Pour 4 more beaten eggs evenly over the plantains. Sprinkle the top with adobo seasoning.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the eggs are firm, 30 to 45 minutes.

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.

SPANISH PASTELILLOS (MEAT PIES)

Steps:

• Dough: Cut butter into sifted flour and salt until like.
• cornmeal. Add enough water to make firm dough. You can do this in the food processor.
• Cover andchill.
• Filling: Fry green peppers, onion, salt in olive oil.
• garlic, olives, capers, Italian seasoning, pepper and paprika.
• Add meat and brown. Add tomato sauce and simmer until cooked.
• set aside to cool.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured board ntil thin.
• Cut into 4-inch rounds. Place 2 tablespoons filling in center.
• Brush edges with egg yolk.
• Fold in half and firmly press edges together.
• Fry at 375 degrees in deep fat until golden brown.

SPANISH PASTELILLOS-MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Dough: Cut butter into sifted flour and salt until like cornmeal.
• Add enough water to make firm dough.
• Cover and chill.
• Filling:
• Fry bacon, add green peppers, onion, salt, garlic, olives, capers, Italian seasoning, pepper and paprika.
• Add meat and brown.
• Add tomato sauce and simmer until cooked. set aside to cool.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured board, until thin.
• Cut into 4-inch rounds.
• Place 2 tablespoons filling in center.
• Brush edges with egg yolk.
• Fold in half and firmly press edges together.
• Fry at 375 degrees in deep fat until golden brown.
• Makes 12 fritters.

NATCHITOCHES MEAT PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a heavy-bottomed sauté pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Sauté beef and pork until golden brown, stirring constantly, until all liquid has evaporated.
• Add onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Sauté three to five minutes or until vegetables are wilted. This should cook slowly for about one hour, adding beef stock to mixture to prevent sticking. Season to taste using salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Roll pie dough into circles and cut into halves. Spoon a generous portion of the cooked meat mixture into the pie shells. Brush a little egg-wash around the edge of the shell, fold over and press the edges with a fork similar to apple turnover. Place on a greased cookie sheet or pan. Make small slits in dough to vent steam, egg-wash entire pie and bake thirty minutes at 400 degrees.
• Pie may also be deep-fried.

AUSTRALIAN MEAT PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Heat oil and butter in large skillet. brown ground beef with the onion and green pepper, about 5-7 minute Drain fat.
• Add flour and cook a minute more.
• In a bowl, combine tomato paste, worcestershire, brown sugar, grill seasoning and broth. Stir into meat mixture.
• Let simmer 10 minute until flavors meld. Take off heat and let cool a bit while you prepare pastry dough.
• Combine egg and water for egg wash.
• Roll cool pastry dough into sheets and cut each into 4 squares.
• Brush edges of pastry square with egg wash and place 2-3 tbs. of meat mixture in center and fold into triangles.
• Place onto pan and bake 12-15 minute or until pies are golden brown.
• Serve with ketchup.