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Pastel de jaiba
Pastel de jaiba: crab bake with milk-soaked bread and cheese
ChileanPastel de jaiba is the rich starter of the central coast's seafood restaurants, from Quintero to San Antonio: sweet crab meat folded into bread soaked in milk, cream and gently cooked onion, baked in individual clay dishes under a crust of cheese until it bubbles. Chileans use local jaiba crabs; any good cooked white and brown crab meat works. The mistake to avoid is leaving bits of shell in the crab; pick it over twice on a plate. Chef's tip: squeeze the soaked bread lightly before mixing, so the pastel is creamy rather than soggy, and bake until it is bubbling and steaming in the middle.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 oz day-old white breadcrusts removed, torn
- 1 cup milk
- 1 oz butter
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 ⅛ lb cooked crab meatpicked over for shell
- ¾ cup single cream
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
- 2 ⅞ oz parmesan or goudagrated
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Soak 4 oz day-old white bread in 1 cup milk until soft.
10 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Melt 1 oz butter in a pan over a medium-low heat and cook 1 onion until soft and sweet, then stir in 1 tsp sweet paprika.
10 minStep 3: Squeeze the bread lightly, keeping the milk, and add it to the pan with 1 ⅛ lb cooked crab meat, ¾ cup single cream, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes. Stir over a low heat until thick and creamy, adding a little of the soaking milk if dry.
4 minStep 4: Spoon into 4 small ovenproof dishes and cover with 2 ⅞ oz parmesan or gouda.
Step 5: Bake until golden on top and bubbling at the edges, and steaming hot in the centre.
16 minStep 6: Rest for 3 minutes and serve with bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pastel de jaiba take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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