So yesterday was our official “pasteles” making day. Every Christmas season, I dread this day like the plague. The whole process of buying the ingredients, preparing them and washing 50 million kitchen thingies sends me into a Navidad tailspin. I told my mother emphatically, that this year I would buy all the ingredients and the rest of the “trabajito” was hers. My husband, who is filled to the brim with Christmas spirit this year, offered his services to assist her. Que bueno yerno!!
To give you a quick breakdown on how the pasteles are made, you make a meat filling and a “masa” dough. For the filling, you take a fresh pork shoulder roast, cut all the meat off of it and prepare it as a stew with onions, recao (culantro), green peppers, garlic, sofrito, fresh oregano, salt, capers, olives, Sazon and some additional “secret” ingredients. My mother cuts the “cuero” (the thick fat cover of the pork roast) in small pieces and fries it separately until brown and crispy. She then adds this to the meat so no one gets a glob of white fat in their pastel. The masa consists of a combination of green bananas, green plantains, “yautia” (taro root) and calabaza (tropical pumpkin) which are peeled and then pureed in a food processor with a little milk, liquid from the pork “stew” and a touch of annatto oil (vegetable oil infused with annatto seeds). My husband was in charge of pureeing the vegetables and his “masa” came out beautifully, almost mousse-like! Suavecita!!
Now we are ready to start making the pasteles. White “papel de pasteles” (parchment paper) or aluminum foil, banana leaves, achiote oil and butcher twine are used. You take a sheet of paper or foil, place a piece of banana leaf in the center and paint the leaf with achiote oil to prevent the pastel from sticking. If you don’t use a banana leaf you still paint the paper. The large spoonful of “masa” is then spread on the banana leaf and the pork filling is placed on top. You can add garbanzos, green olives and a bit of chopped red pimientos (red pepper) if you desire. You then fold the paper almost like you are wrapping a gift, making sure to double even triple fold the ends to prevent leakage of the masa. Tie the packets of “pasteles” in pairs (seam sides together)securely with the twine. You now freeze the little suckers for Christmas Eve. Of course, the “helpers” get to eat one right away for their “ayuda”! The “packets” are boiled in salted water for approximately 45 mins, turning occasionally to insure the entire pastel is cooked. Once done, remove from the water, cut the string, drain off any water that may have gotten in the pastel, and slide on a plate. Eating one of these is like spending a moment in heaven and having memories of Christmas-pasts rushing all over you!! So what did I do while all this action was taking place in my kitchen? I took a nap and woke up just in time to eat a pastel!!
Every Puerto Rican family has their own unique way of making pasteles. The following websites have pretty good recipes:
