How to make Puerto Rican Pasteles!

pork

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Chicken is lower in fat, while ground beef is often more affordable.

plantains

🥗Healthier: sweet potatoes

💰Cheaper: regular potatoes

Sweet potatoes offer more nutrients, while regular potatoes are budget-friendly.

Peel and chop the hard green bananas, calabaza squash, green plantain, potatoes, and yuca.

Soak the hard green bananas and plantains in hot water for 10 minutes to peel them easily.

Place the chopped vegetables in salted water and boil until tender.

Puree the boiled vegetables in a food processor until smooth.

Season the masa with salt and aote oil, checking for salt content by microwaving a small blob.

Prepare the banana leaf by rinsing it and laying it on top of parchment paper.

Spread a little less than a tablespoon of aote oil on the banana leaf to prevent sticking.

Place a big spoonful of masa in the center of the banana leaf and spread it out.

Add a portion of the cooked pork, a couple of garbanzos, and sliced olives on top of the masa.

Fold the banana leaf and parchment paper around the filling, sealing it tightly.

Tie the wrapped pastel with butcher's twine, making sure it is secure.

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pasteles for 30 to 45 minutes if fresh, or 1 to 1.5 hours if frozen.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary