I used to hate these things as a kid. Now, I LOVE THEM. With some hot sauce or ketchup on the side, YUM!
Pasteles are either loved or hated. There's no in between! And they are a celebratory MUST during the winter holidays!
You can make them with any type of filling (Steak, Pork, Chicken, Veggie). The most popular is pork.
Phase I: MASA
What you need:
1 cup of evaporated milk
6 table spoons of olive oil
4 teaspoons of adobo
3 teaspoons of annatto
What Vegetables you need:
3 bunches of Guineitos (green unrippened bananas)
3 Yautia (root vegetable - white)
1 pound of Calabaza (not everyone uses calabaza; This is my little secret ingredient)
3 Green Platanos
3 Yautia blanca (root vegetable - white)
3 Green Plantains (platanos)
About one pound of calabaza
Fill a pot with water and set aside. This is where you will dump all your vegetables as you peel them.
Peel guineitos
Put everything in the food processor (I use a ninja which works great)
Add about 1/2 a teaspoon of annato (your adding your spices little by little as you mix everything)
Add about 1/2 a teaspoon of adobo or more - you will keep adding seasoning as you keep mixing the vegetables
Add a table spoon of extra virgin olive oil - keep adding as you mix each batch
Add about a quarter of a cup of evaporated milk (you will need about a cup in total for the entire process)
Start chopping
Set aside 1/2 of the first batch
Continue to add the rest of the vegetables again and repeat the process (add the rest of spices as you mix more vegetables)
The masa should have the consistency of mashed potatoes. Refrigerate for later use. Next step is to make the meat.
Phase II: Pork
Cut pork into small cubes
Add about 1/3 cup of vinegar
About 1/2 cup of sofrito or more; you can never go wrong with a little more sofrito
Use about 2 tea spoons of adobo seasoning
Heat about a third cup of extra virgin oil
Once oil is heated, add pork on high heat
Cover up until pork is cooked
Water front he pork should still remain
Once meat is cooked, add about 3 table spoons of tomato paste
Add about 1/2 a cup of pitted olives
Simmer until you get a thick juicy sauce
Set aside until ready for use
Phase III - Wrapping the pastels
What you need:
1 pack of Banana leaves (you can pick up at any local spanish super market - I usually buy the brand "la fe")
1 pack of parchment paper (cut into about 8 1/2 by 11)
1 brush
Annatto powder and extra virgin olive oil(you can also use annatto seeds and do it differently; I prefer powder to save a little time)
String
Scissors
Wipe dirt off leaves
Cut leave about 3-4 inch wide and trip the stiff side
If you have a gas stove, you can just wave the leaves on top of the flame until you see a shiny coat on them. If not (like in my case; I have electric), I use a pan.
Heat the leaf until you see a shiny coat (see the right side of the leaf below). It only take a few seconds.
Parchment paper (about 8 1/2 by 11)
String to wrap the pastel
pour about a table spoon of extra virgin olive oil in a flat plate
Sprinkle some annatto powder into the oil
Mix well with a small brush (set aside)
Set up your assembly line (parchment, leaves, oil, masa, meat, string, scissors)
Place the parchment paper first and a leaf right on top
Brush the oil with annatto on the leaf
Put about 2.5 spoons of masa into your leave
Put one generous spoon of meat on top of the masa
Take the long end of the paper and bring together
Make an extra small fold
Fold the ends
Turn over to tie with string
I do 2 crosses across the top and two across the bottom along the folded edge
Two ties across the bottom and top (feel free to tie which ever way works best for you)
Boil about 20 minutes if your cooking immediately after wrapping. If not, store in freezer. Boil about 25-30 minutes if frozen.
Unwrap; you can eat with hot sauce or ketchup or just plain. I love them either way!
