Pastels are a traditional Latin American snack similar to tamales, but made with green plantains, plantains, and potatoes in the masa dough. The filling, known as relleno, is made with meat, vegetables, and spices. The pastels are wrapped in plantain leaves and parchment paper, tied with string, and boiled.
In Latin America, pastels are a traditional snack similar in appearance and composition to the Mexican tamale. A main distinction for the previous recipe, however, is the use of green plantains, plantains and potatoes in the preparation of the dough, called masa, which surrounds traditional tamale-style ingredients such as pork, garlic, onion, green pepper and Latin spices. . Plantain leaves and parchment paper are then used to wrap these delicacies before being squeezed with string and boiled, another distinction from tamales, which are normally fried in oil.
Pastels are popular in many Latin American cultures, from Colombia in South America to Panama and the Dominican Republic in Central America. The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, however, has perhaps the proudest tradition of crayon-making. These hot pockets and their close cousin, the tamale, have been made for at least 3,000 years, starting with indigenous tribes and through the colonial conquest.
The masa used to make the pastels helps provide its distinctly rich and slightly sweet flavor. Bananas, potatoes, plantains and even taro root are boiled and then grated. These shavings are mashed with a little milk, salt and oil before chilling them in the fridge. The result is a malleable skin for the meat filling. To make a workable dough, one chef used a combination of five green bananas from mountain regions, one plantain from coastal areas, about 680 g of taro and a peeled potato. Just a little milk and oil are then used to soften and blend these ingredients.
The filling for pastels, known as relleno, can be made in a variety of ways, although some items are standard. It is usually prepared like a stew, just with less broth. This process begins with oil and meat such as pork shoulder or ham. Once the meat begins to cook, all other ingredients are added. Items such as garlic, onion, tomato sauce, beans, olives and a range of spices such as coriander, oregano, salt and pepper come alongside diced potatoes in some variations.
After filling, a rather complicated construction process follows. A plantain or green banana leaf and parchment paper are placed and oil is placed on top. Then a dollop of masa goes into the sheet and is flattened, followed by a hearty serving of relleno. The wrap and dough are then rolled up and tied with string to enclose the filling for a final simmer in salted water, which can take up to an hour to cook.
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