For me it was always centered my Grandmother's kitchen. My Abuela Petra Prado-Gonzalez is a wonderful cook. Her condo in Miami is always filled with fresh smell of Puerto Rican dishes. Until this day I haven't tasted Arroz con Pollo, rice and beans, Tostones or Pasteles like hers. She gave me a great sense of what Caribbean food should taste like. From now until the day I pass on God's great Earth Puerto Rican food will always be my favorite.
In Hispanic Culture, no matter if we are Puerto Rican, Mexican, Cuban or anything else the glue that binds us all is the recognition that our food defines our respective nations. It gives us distinction, flavor, aroma and a feeling that although our language is the same...there is something very different about all us. With all this pontificating it's making me hungry. So let's get to may favorite Christmas Recipes.
Make the dough one day ahead. It is easier to handle when it's cold and it won't be so hard on the cook. Have a pastel-making get-together with your friends. The time will pass quickly if you are having fun with friends and are listening to Puerto Rican music. We do it all the time and it's great fun.
If you are making a bunch of pasteles order the guineos from your local produce vendor. They sell to grocery stores and can be found in the yellow pages. Tell then that you want them very green and not to "gas" them. You can buy them by the case dirt cheap.
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 "adobo" - or buy coarsely ground pork.
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
½ cup cooking olives with pimento, chopped
1 -6 oz. can chopped pimentos
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. orégano
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
Masa (dough)
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 (meat 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 (use either banana leaves or aluminum foil)
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.
Aluminum foil.Use aluminum foil with butcher paper or plastic wrap on top to make a "wrapper." You may add a piece of banana leaf (if available) right on top.
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. If using foil, fold the edges over until tightly sealed. If using leaves just fold one over the other until completely sealed.
Tie the pastel. (You may skip this part completely if you are using foil paper - simply make sure the folds are pressed securely.) Tie the pastel with string to hold it together. Make one run of string lengthwise and two runs the other way (see picture above). 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.
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