AI-generated image
Trinidad pastelles
Pastelles: cornmeal parcels with spiced minced beef and pork, steamed in banana leaf
Trinidad's Venezuelan-rooted pastelles are a Christmas ritual: families gather in the kitchen, press thin cornmeal dough onto banana leaves, spoon on a filling of minced beef and pork with olives, capers and raisins, then fold and steam dozens at a time to freeze for the season. Once cooked they are soft, savoury and slightly sweet, with the leaf perfuming the dough. This version uses beef and pork mince; a lentil filling makes a vegetarian pastelle. The most common mistake is pressing the dough too thick, which turns the parcels stodgy; it should be thin enough to see the leaf's shine through. Chef's tip: pass the banana leaves over a flame for a few seconds until they turn glossy and pliable, so they fold without tearing.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the filling
- 14 oz beef mince
- 10 ½ oz pork mince
- 3 tbsp green seasoning
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 sweet pepperfinely diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 ⅛ oz pimento-stuffed olivessliced
- 2 tbsp capersdrained
- 1 ¾ oz raisins
- ½ scotch bonnetfinely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
For the dough
- 1 ⅛ lb precooked white corn flour(masarepa)
- 3 ¼ cups warm water
- 4 tbsp vegetable oilplus extra for the leaves
- 1 ½ tsp salt
To wrap
- 12 banana leavescut into 25 cm squares, plus foil or baking paper
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (5)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Mix 14 oz beef mince, 10 ½ oz pork mince and 3 tbsp green seasoning in a bowl.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic and 1 sweet pepper for 4 minutes until soft.
4 minStep 3: Add the mince and cook, breaking it up, for 8 minutes until browned with no pink left.
8 minStep 4: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 ⅛ oz pimento-stuffed olives, 2 tbsp capers, 1 ¾ oz raisins, ½ scotch bonnet and 1 tsp salt with a splash of water and simmer for 10 minutes until thick and almost dry. The mince must reach 160°F. Cool the filling completely; it is easier to spread cold.
10 minStep 5: Wipe each of 12 banana leaves clean and pass it quickly over a gas flame or hot plate until it turns glossy and soft. Brush the shiny side with a little oil.
10 minStep 6: Mix 1 ⅛ lb precooked white corn flour with 1 ½ tsp salt, then work in 3 ¼ cups warm water and 4 tbsp vegetable oil until you have a soft dough like play dough that doesn't crack. Rest for 5 minutes and divide into 12 balls.
10 minStep 7: Lay a leaf on a square of baking paper, put a dough ball in the centre and press it out with a flat plate or tortilla press into a 15 cm round, about 3 mm thick.
Step 8: Spoon 2 heaped tablespoons of filling onto one half of the dough. Use the leaf to fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together, then fold the leaf into a neat parcel and wrap in the baking paper. Repeat with the rest.
30 minStep 9: Steam the parcels, or boil them in a large pot of gently simmering water, for 45–60 minutes, until the dough is firm and comes cleanly away from the leaf when you open one.
50 minStep 10: Serve warm. To freeze, cool the cooked parcels and freeze for up to 3 months; steam from frozen for 25 minutes until piping hot all the way through.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does trinidad pastelles take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Pork souvlaki
This is a pork recipe. Walk through any Greek town after dark, from Athens to Thessaloniki, and the smell of souvlaki stands drifts down the street; cubes of pork shoulder grilled on thin skewers are the country's favourite cheap supper, eaten standing up or at a plastic-table taverna. At home you marinate the meat in lemon, olive oil, garlic and dried oregano, grill it hard and fast, and pile it on warm pitta with tzatziki, tomato and red onion. Chef's tip: cut the pork into even 2.5 cm cubes and leave a little fat on; lean loin dries out, shoulder stays juicy over high heat.
Greek
Tteokgalbi
Tteokgalbi is rib meat chopped finely, pressed back into neat slabs and grilled, so it's soft enough to eat without struggling with a bone. Two places in South Jeolla claim it: Damyang, the bamboo county, where all-beef patties come with rice steamed in bamboo tubes, and Gwangju's Songjeong district, whose restaurant street near the railway station mixes beef with pork. This home version uses minced beef and pork, seasoned with soy, garlic and pear, then brushed with a soy and honey glaze as it cooks. Serve with rice, lettuce and a few banchan; leftovers are good cold in a lunchbox. Chef's tip: slap the mince against the bowl for a few minutes; it turns sticky and the patties hold together on the grill without any breadcrumbs.
Korean
Saheena
Saheena is an old Indo-Trinidadian snack sold by street vendors and doubles men, especially in Central and South Trinidad. Young dasheen (taro) leaves are spread with a spiced batter of ground split peas, garlic, turmeric and pepper, rolled up like a Swiss roll, steamed, then sliced into rounds and fried until crisp. Each slice shows green spirals of leaf and gold batter, and tastes earthy, savoury and garlicky. Serve with tamarind sauce or mango chutney. If you can't get dasheen leaves, large spinach or Swiss chard leaves work. Chef's tip: always cook dasheen leaves thoroughly. They contain crystals that make your throat itch if undercooked, which is why the rolls are steamed right through before frying.
