The Christmas season in Puerto Rico is blessed with balmy weather and clear skies. There is nothing like dining under the shade of a gourd tree on Christmas Eve, savoring every morsel of the earthy tamales calledpastelesandadobo-flavored pork while looking at the sea.
Puerto Rican women get together with their families to preparepastelesby the hundred, freezing them until needed for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, family reunions, the Fiesta de Reyes, and the religious season calledoctavasthat follows the Feast of the Epiphany.
It is the blend of the tiny pepperají dulceand broad-leafculantroin the fragrantsofrito(cooking sauce) that gives an unmistakable Puerto Rican identity to these earthy tamales. A dash of vinegar lends thesofrito适量的汤对轻度窦gh ofmalangaand plantain tinted orange-yellow with achiote-infused lard.
I learned to make these in the traditional kitchen of the Puerto Rican side of my family. While one person took care of trimming the plantain leaves, others were busy grating the vegetables and making thesofrito. There the vegetables are grated by hand, though you can find machines designed specially for this purpose in any market or use a food processor. Puerto Ricans are extremely fussy about the wrapping—it has to be perfect and watertight becausepastelesare normally boiled. But I prefer to steam them.
Ingredients
Makes 25 pasteles
For the Seasoning Base (Recado)
For the Cooking Sauce (Sofrito)
For the Masa
For the Wrappers
For the Garnishes
Making the Recado
Step 1
Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree. Set aside. DO AHEAD:You can make the seasoning base (recado) the day before.
Making the Sofrito
Step 2
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and brown for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pork and cook, stirring, until it begins to release its fat, about 15 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in therecado, reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, for about 50 minutes, or until the pork is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Add some chicken broth if the sauce thickens too much during cooking. When the meat is done, transfer it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Set the sauce aside. DO AHEAD:You can make thesofritothe day before.
Making the Masa
Step 4
Working in 2 or 3 batches, puree the milk,malanga, green bananas, green plantain, andcalabazain a blender or food processor and pour into a large bowl. Add the oil and salt and mix well to color themasaevenly. Stir in the reserved sauce. Taste for seasoning and set aside.
Wrapping the Tamales
Step 5
Place one plantain leaf square on a work surface with the veins perpendicular to you. Brush generously with achiote oil. Place 3 heaping tablespoons of masa in the center of the leaf and spread into a 6-inch square, leaving a 3-inch margin on all sides. Place 3 tablespoons of the diced pork on top, forming a rectangle. Garnish with 4 raisins, 4 chickpeas, a strip of red pepper, and 4 olive halves. Tie the tamal following the instructions for thepastelwrap (see Cooks' notes). Repeat with the remaining wrappers and ingredients. DO AHEAD:You can prepare the plantain leaves the day before.
Cooking the Tamales
Step 6
Using two steamers (or working in batches), steam for about 1 hour (see Cooks' notes).
Serving
Most people like them with a little sauce.Ajilimójiliis a good choice.
Preparing Plantains
To peel them before cooking, cut off the tips with a small sharp knife. Cut crosswise into 2 or 3 chunks. Make 2 or 3 lengthwise incisions in each, following the ridges that run down the fruit. Trying to bruise the flesh as little as possible, pull the skin away from the flesh with a table knife, then work it free with your fingertips. Trim off any underskin.
Plantain Leaf Wrappers
To prepare, defrost them in the refrigerator overnight or in warm water for about 20 minutes. Wipe both sides clean with a damp cloth and pat dry with paper towels. Working on a cutting board, use a ruler and knife to measure and cut the leaves into squares.
Singe the squares by running each side over a gas flame or an electric burner set on high for a few seconds. You will notice that the leaf immediately becomes supple and its outer side shinier. If any leaves are torn, just overlap a couple of them when wrapping the dough.
Roasting Peppers
Heat acomalor heavy skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Place the whole peppers on the hot surface and roast, turning occasionally with tongs, until they are blackened on all sides. This may take up to 15 minutes for bell peppers. Remove from the heat and place in a paper or plastic bag to "sweat" for a few minutes (this helps loosen the skin).
When they are slightly cooled, peel the charred skin from the roasted flesh. Scrape and pick off the black bits a little at a time; don't rinse. Core and seed the peppers before proceeding with the recipe.
ThePastelWrap
Fold down the top edge a little more than halfway, pressing lightly, then unfold. Fold up and press the bottom edge in the same way; unfold. The masa will now completely enclose the filling.
Now fold down the top half again a little more than halfway toward you. Hold it in place while you bring up the bottom edge to make a seam about 1/2 inch from the folded side. Holding the seam closed, fold back the open right and left ends of the packet into flaps slightly overlapping under the seamless side.
Steaming Tamales
蒸汽玉米粉蒸肉,水倒入锅轮船,place the steamer basket in the pot (above the water), and arrange the tamales in the basket. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and steam the tamales until they are set. The timing depends on the size and composition of the tamales, but most take about 1 hour. Be sure to check the water level in the pot from time to time and replenish with boiling water as necessary.
How would you rate Puerto Rican Pasteles (_Pasteles Puertorriqueños_)?
Leave a Review
Reviews (7)
Back to TopOh hell no!! RAISINS?!? Nope!!! Get the F outta here. Karen has infiltrated yet again butchering our food. BARF
Anonymous
The Bronx, NYC
9/23/2021
Traditional pastels do not have plantains. Pumpkin (Calabasa), or milk in it's recipe. I've been making my grandmother's 100 yrs + recipe since she taught me when I was a little girl and she was born in 1904. Can't get anymore traditional than that. The raisins actually go in the filling not as a garnish. Like a sprinkle.
Shamaileefood
Mayagüez, P.R.
4/19/2020
I am a Puerto Rican Jewish lady from Utuado. We do not use pork but substitute either lamb or turkey. This year I made them with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. We also add coconut milk to soften the masa. This is an excellent recipe for the first timer. It is clear and concise.
morahchaya
Aliso Viejo, CA
12/23/2019
Haven't tried recipe but looks like an easy and authentic recipe. I remember growing up helping my grandmother add the garnishes (raisins, garbanzos, etc.) but one ingredient that our family always looked for was a little piece of the red "pique" or chili pepper. It gave the pastel the BEST flavor. She would tie it differently from the ones without for the children. She also added milk like the recipe. Why is the title pasteles and the preparation is tamales?
MarucaO
Hillside, NJ
6/16/2017
To my comadre or compadre from Delaware, I too am Puerto Rican and although mi mami never put milk, the Puerto Rican cookbook by Carmen Valldejuli, Cocina Criolla, recommends adding milk so the masa doesn't come out hard.
ljhc19
Texas
12/5/2016
I'm Puerto rican and I have never heard of milk in the masa for pasteles... I will omit it..
jenn_c84
Delaware
11/21/2016
Wes325@aol Very good recepie this is the perfect recepie for someone who is making this for the first time
wes325
Puerto rico
8/14/2016
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