Pasteles de Masa
Pasteles are a beloved Puerto Rican dish made with a masa of grated green bananas or yuca, they're filled with a savory meat mixture (often pork or chicken) and wrapped in banana leaves. This combination creates a delightful blend of flavors and textures. Pasteles are typically enjoyed during holidays and special occasions, symbolizing tradition and family gatherings.
Equipment
- 1 guiando
- 1 pastele machine
- 1 knife
- 1 scissors
- 1 Large Stock Pot
- 1 hilo string
Ingredients
Masa - Dough
- 1 1/3 lbs. yautía
- 3 lbs. guineos verdes
- 1 lbs. potatoes
- 1 green plantain
- 2 tbsp. milk
- ¼ cup achiote oil
- salt
Relleno - filling
- ¾ lb. pork chopped in small pieces, seasoned with Healthy Rican Adobo
- 2 tablespoons "achiote" oil
- 3 oz. chopped ham
- ½ chopped onion
- 2 chopped garlic
- 4 ajíes dulces - chopped
- 3 recao leaves chopped may use cilantro instead
- 1 -8 oz. can tomato sauce
- ½ can garbanzo beans optional
- ½ cup cooking olives with pimento chopped
- 1 -6 oz. can chopped pimentos
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tbsp. orégano
Instructions
Masa
- HINT - Boil the green bananas for a few minutes until the peel begins to turns black. Then you can just pull off the peel and grate the guineitos in the food processor. Make sure you don't leave them in the pot too long
- Peel the rest of the vegetables, rinse them and grate in a food processor. Add milk, oil, and salt. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- It is best to do this the day before actually putting the pasteles together. It makes for easier handling masa.
Relleno - filling
- Heat the oil in a "caldero" and cook the meat and ham for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for approximately 25 minutes until the pork is completely cooked. Cool.
The Wrapper
- Banana leaves. Use 10 bundles of plaintain leaves
- Remove the central ridge on each leaf
- Divide leaves into pieces, about 10" square
- Wash and clean leaves with a damp cloth and blanch them (toast them slightly over gas stove flames)
- If you have just a few plantain leaves cut them in small pieces and add a piece to each pastel for more flavor
Assembling the Pasteles
- Cover the kitchen counter with newspaper for easier cleanup time
- Turn on your Puerto Rican music. . . .
- Grease center of the wrapper - using the back of a spoon dipped in achiote oil
- HINT - Use a ½ cup measuring cup to scoop dough (this helps keep the pasteles the same size)
- In the center of the wrapper place ½ cup of dough and thinly spread it not more than 5" long and about 4" wide. Keep a small ruler handy to determine size until you can "eye-ball it."
- HINT - Use a 1/8 cup measuring cup to scoop the meat filling and fill just a bit over the brim. That should measure 2½ tablespoons
- Place 2½ tablespoons of meat filling on the masa - a bit off the center
- Fold the wrapper in half to close the pastel
- fold the banana leaf one over the other until completely sealed
- Tie the pastel with string to hold it together. Make one run of string lengthwise and two runs the other way. This will hold the banana leaves secure.
- Got leftover dough? Make alcapurrias
- Cook the pasteles for 1 hour turning them once half way through cooking. Freshly cooked pasteles taste much better
- Freeze them raw for cooking during the holidays
Notes
Other
Banana leaves (or aluminum foil & butcher paper)
If you have just a few plantain leaves you can cut them in small pieces and add a piece to each pastel to improve the flavor.
½ cup achiote to grease the plantain leaves or paper.
string to tie pasteles
A large pot of boiling salt water
For Best Results use Healthy Rican Adobo