Pastelles and empanadas

THE cuisine of our Spanish Caribbean neighbours is punctuated with many pies called empanadas and steamed masa (dough), stuffed with a variety of fillings, wrapped in banana leaves; called pastelles in TT, halachas in Venezuela and tamales in Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Guatemala.

Although they are called by different names, and ingredients may differ from country to country, they all have one common thread, taste and high-scoring deliciousness. Here are some recipes for you to try this coming holiday season.

Mexican empanadas

For the dough

4 cups flour

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 cup shortening

½ cup water

Combine flour with paprika and salt.

Cut in shortening until it’s the size of small peas.

Add water and bring the mixture together.

Refrigerate until ready for use.

Filling

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup chopped fresh herbs

2 pimento peppers

1 onion, chopped

1 lb chicken or beef, ground

½ cup raisins

⅓ cup sliced green olives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ hot pepper, chopped

1 beaten egg

Heat oil in frying pan, add herbs, garlic, pepper and onion, sauté until tender about 4 minutes, add meat and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

If your meat seems lumpy, then put it into your food processor bowl and process for 30 seconds, just until fine.

Remove, add raisins and olives, season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Roll each piece of dough into a 4-inch circle.

Place about one tablespoon of filling in the centre of the lower half.

Fold over and seal using a little water if necessary.

Place on a greased baking sheet, brush with beaten egg.

Repeat until all dough and filling are used up.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden

Makes 20, serve with spicy tomato salsa.

Cassava pastelles

1 recipe master pastelle filling, see below

dough or masa

2 lbs peeled raw cassava

1 tbs roucou

1 tsp salt

2 tbs coconut or olive oil

12 banana leaves 12x12 inches, passed over a flame or steamed to soften.

Grate cassava or process in food processor until mushy, place into a towel-lined strainer, leave for about one hour to remove any excess water.

Place into work bowl, add roucou and salt. Mix well with a wooden spoon or with your hands.

Section the masa/dough into 12 sections.

Place one banana leaf onto your work surface, oil the leaf.

Place the cassava masa onto leaf, place another oiled leaf over dough and smooth the dough to a 6-inch circle.

Place 2 tbs filling onto the middle of the dough. Bring the top portion of the leaf over to cover ½ the dough, press with your finger to release the dough. Repeat with the bottom half, and then the sides, making a neat package.

Fold over a few times into a neat package, and repeat with other pastelles.

Steam for 20 minutes until cooked through.

These are best served warm. To reheat steam, them do not microwave.

Makes 12.

Cassava flour empanadas

2 cups cassava/yucca flour

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

⅓ cup softened butter

Cool water to mix

1 lb ground beef or chicken

1 tsp ground garlic

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 small onion chopped

2 tbs Portuguese thyme or marjoram

1 tbs Spanish thyme, chopped

Beef/chicken

Season beef or chicken with garlic, chilli powder, cumin and salt.

Heat oil in a sauté pan, add onion and sauté until fragrant and translucent add beef and cook until brown. Add Portuguese thyme and cook for a few minutes more.

Add the chopped Spanish thyme and add to beef/chicken, stir well.

Remove from heat; turn out into a shallow bowl, chill.

Pastry:

Combine the flours with salt and butter; rub the butter in with your fingers until a mealy consistency is achieved.

Add water gradually and knead to a soft dough.

Wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Roll out dough to ¼-inch thick, stamp out 3-inch rounds.

Place 1 tbs filling onto the bottom centre of each round and fold the top portion over the lower portion, covering the meat, seal with a little water.

Heat some coconut oil in a frying pan, fry empanadas until golden and cooked through.

Makes about 12

Pastelle filling- master recipe

1 lb ground (or chopped) beef or chicken

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 cup chopped chives

¼ cup chopped fresh thyme

2 tbs olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic chopped

2 pimento peppers chopped

1 tbs chopped celery

½ Congo pepper, seeded and chopped, (optional)

1 tbs tomato paste

2 tbs roucou

¼ cup raisins

4 tbs capers

3 tbs olives, sliced

2 tbs fresh thyme

Combine beef/chicken with salt and black pepper.

Add ¼ cup chopped chives and one tablespoon thyme.

In a large sauté pan heat olive oil, add onion, garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add pimento peppers, add remaining chive, pepper, and thyme, add meat and cook until brown.

Add tomato paste cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add roucou and stir.

Add raisins, capers and olives and stir to combine.

Cook for about 5 minutes more, taste and adjust seasoning.

Add 2 tbsp fresh thyme and stir to combine.

Remove from heat and cool.

Cornmeal pastelles

Cornmeal dough

2 cups yellow cornmeal

2½ cups hot water

½ cup butter, softened

1¼ tsp salt

12 banana leaves 12x12 inches, passed over a flame or steamed to soften.

Add butter to water, stir to melt.

Combine cornmeal with water mix.

Stir well and knead make a soft pliable dough.

Divide the dough into 15 balls of dough.

Cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying.

Place one piece of dough, (place some oil on your dough), on a greased fig leaf, and press to an 8-inch width.

Spoon two tablespoons filling onto the middle of the dough and fold and seal pastelles.

Wrap in fig leaf and tie into a neat package.

Steam pastelles for 45 minutes until cooked.

Makes 15 pastelles