TITA'S DOMINICAN PASTELITOS
Gissell Moronta | SVP, Sales & Marketing | Corporate Pastelitos are the Dominican version of empanadas, a must-have on any picadera (snack platter) at a fiesta. They are made with a light flour dough and can be filled several ways: ground beef, shredded chicken, or melty cheese are just a few favorites. In my family, making pastelitos is a Christmas Eve tradition we call “The Pastelito Factory.” My Mom, Tita, makes the filling and then everyone has a role on the assembly line, rolling, filling, sealing, frying , all while the music blares, laughter fills the kitchen, and stories flow. It’s one of those beautiful, messy, and delicious traditions that we’ve been doing for 3 generations.
Ingredients
Ingredients for Ground Beef Filling .5 Small Red Onion .5 Cubanelle Pepper 1 Clove of Garlic 1 tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro
.5 lb Lean Ground Beef .5 tsp Adobo seasoning .5 tsp Dried Dominican Oregano .5 tsp Ground Black Pepper 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil .25 Cup of Tomato Sauce .25 cup Pitted Whole or Sliced Green Olives (optional) .25 cup Raisins (optional) Ingredients for the Pastelitos Dough Pastry Dough - GOYA brand and Vegetable Oil for Deep Fried
Instructions
1.In a food processor, pulse the onion, cubanelle pepper, garlic, and cilantro for 30 to 60 seconds (finely chopped). 2.In a medium bowl, mix the chopped vegetables with the ground beef until combined. Stir in the adobo, oregano, and black pepper and combine well. 3.In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat mixture and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until browned. 4.Stir in the tomato sauce, olives (if using), raisins (if using), and .5 cup of water. Let simmer over heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated. 5.Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before using as filling. 6.To assemble the pastelitos, separate the dough into equal-sized pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll one of the pieces on a lightly floured surface to .25 inch thick. Cut as many pastry piece rounds as possible using a round cutter or glass. 7.Add 1 tbsp of the beef filling to the center of a pastry round and top with another pastry round. Press firmly around the edges with a fork to seal and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat the steps with the remaining dough and filling, re-rolling the dough scraps for more rounds. 8.Heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, fry the pastelitos in batches for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. 9.Transfer the pastelitos to a plate lined with paper towels to remove the excess oil.
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