Pasteles Puertorriqueños (Puerto Rican Pasteles) - Sense & Edibility (2023)

Pasteles are a traditional Puerto Rican recipe served during the holidays. Every holiday season, Puerto Rican kitchens the world over are packed with Abuelas and their acolytes, all with one mission: prepare, assemble, and package enough pasteles to divvy up amongst the family. The family divvies up the pasteles into plastic bags. Then disperse to their separate homes with their packages tucked under an arm- hidden by an overcoat maybe- in the hopes that passersby don’t get a whiff of the coveted treasure in their possession. Theft of another’s pastelesis as old as time.

When far from home (meaning the island of Puerto Rico, or its largest city, New York) during the holidays, the diaspora longs for the familiarity of traditions long guarded. The“pastel-making” party is a long-honored event that marks the start of the holiday season, which runs from Thanksgiving here in the States toEl Dia de los Reyes(or Epiphany) on January 6th. For every worker to take home their fair share, thepastelesmust be made in large amounts. The process is a long and laborious one, comprised of many steps. It’s best to get the whole family involved. Unfortunately, since many Puerto Ricans are scattered across the world, they are often without a crew to call upon. So, we find a connection we can buy them from, or we make them ourselves. This recipe equips you to gather even non-Puerto Ricans and host your own party!

James Beard Award, here I come.

What are Pasteles?

If you’ve ever had atamal(or Mexican tamale), you’re already familiar with the concept of apastel.Tamales and Pasteles, however, are not the same. Pasteles are made with a masaof many different types of root vegetables instead of corn. In fact, pastel means “pie” in Spanish, but in Puerto Rico pastel means this root veggie meat-filled patty. So, kind of like a pie. My preferred mix is a masa de guineo, or a green banana paste. In addition to the green bananas, I add a small number of other roots that soften the paste.

I was taught to makepastelesby very old-school cooks. My first indoctrination into the tradition was with my mother, who insistedpastelesmust be shredded by hand. I was 10 at the time, so arguing with her was unthinkable. A few bloody fingers and years later, I joined the advanced society and began shredding my vegetables with a food processor. I strongly encourage you to do the same.

The filling forpastelesis, traditionally, a quickly-stewed pork. Some folks like to jazz theirs up with chickpeas (garbanzos) or raisins. In this respect, I’m a purist. Seasoning the meat is all I care to do to the filling itself. However, in thepastel, I love to add a bit of color with roasted red pepper strips and green manzanilla olives.

Another debated topic is what to wrap thepastelesin. My husband’s Abuela Leria told me that banana leaves were the only acceptable wrappers. Abuela Leria wasneverwrong. Apastelwrapped in banana leaves tastes worlds apart from one that’s not. While preparing fresh banana leaves for wrapping adds more time to the prep, the payoff in flavor is well worth it.

Are there different types ofPasteles?

Yes. As I mentioned before, there are many differentmasaswhich can act as a base for yourpasteles. Seems like the most common is themasa de guineo(or banana paste) that I use. Each family has its own variation, but the common factor is that themasais mostly green, ungassed cooking bananas.Masa de yuca,or yuca paste, is another variation that people create. It’s the same concept as that of the green banana; it’s just made with a yuca paste.Masa de arrozis my least favorite. A bed of steamed rice surrounds the meat filling.

Just as there are different types ofmasa to wrap your filling in, there are different types of fillings. I make mine with a pork filling. Chicken or turkey can easily replace it if you have a pork-free diet. Seafood- like lobster, shrimp, crab, or conch- is becoming more popular as a filling for pasteles.The simmering time for those is reduced to 20 minutes in total. Vegetarians use vegan meat, firm tofu, or chickpeas in lieu of meat or seafood.

Finally, the wrapping: clearly, my preference is banana leaves and parchment. If you can’t find banana leaves, just the parchment will do. Avoid wax paper and foil. Both leave an aftertaste on yourpasteles,which makes all your hard work for naught.

What do I need to make Pasteles de Masa?

For themasa, you need very green bananas,yautía (or you can use malanga), calabaza(or Kabocha squash),batata(boniato or white sweet potato), or a regular Russet potato, achiote (annatto) oil, ham or chicken broth, and salt to taste.

To make the pork filling, you need a bone-in pork shoulder or Boston butt, onion, garlic, sofrito, spices, olives, capers, tomato paste, and bay leaves. Later, I’ll give more details on the specific spices.

When the time comes to assemble thepasteles, think about adding strips of roasted (jarred) red peppers- make them spicy, even- as well as green olives, raisins, and/or chickpeas. For me, I prefer just the red pepper and olives. Or, keep it simple and don’t add any additional fillers.

To wrap thepasteles, you need more achiote oil, prepared or frozen banana leaves, parchment rectangles, and butcher’s twine.

And music. You always need music.

Okay! We’re ready to begin.

What cut of pork is best forPasteles?

Remember, this will be fast and furious because we have a lot of ground to cover.

Beginthisstep at least 4 hours in advance (or overnight) because the meat needs to marinate before being stewed.

The best cut of pork to use forpastelesis pork butt or pork shoulder. Because we’re stewing this, you don’t want a lean cut. Instead, find a piece of meat that has the bone-in (for our ham stock), fat cap on (for sautéing later), and a good amount of marbling in the meat. Marbling is fat that’s running through the pink meat. It looks like spiderwebs of white. That fat, as the pork cooks, moistens and flavors the meat.

Situate the meat on a largecutting boardand use yourboning knifeto, first, remove the bone from the meat. We’ll use this to create the ham stock, which will flavor ourmasa. Now, use yourchef’s knifeto separate the fat cap from the meat. You will render this in the pot before adding the rest of the meat to create the stewed pork filling. Just dice the fat and put it, and the bone, in a container in the fridge. After the meat has marinated, you will use them both.

Now, dice the pork meat into small chunks: in squares about 1/2-inch big. The top right is a bunch of silverskin and gristle that I threw away.

Do I have to use pork?

Chicken can replace the pork in this recipe if you don’t eat it. Buy bone-in chicken thighs, removing the bone and skin just as you did with the shoulder. The stock is made with them just as it is with the pork.
Turkey is another meat you can use here. As I mentioned before, seafood like shrimp, crab, conch, or lobster (if you’re a baller) can also be used in place of the pork. Because the seafood doesn’t have bones, use the shells to create the stock and use oil to sauté the veggies and meat for the filling.

What do I marinate the meat for Pastelesin?

To make the marinade, combineadobo,sazón,oregano, andblack peppertogether in a large mixing bowl. Because the acid we use in the marinade can react with metal bowls, use a glass or ceramic bowl instead. Plastic will also work. Add the white wine vinegar to the spices in the bowl and stir to combine. Finally, grate half a yellow onion and 6 or 7 cloves of garlic into the bowl. Mix everything together until smooth.

Add the diced meat to the bowl and toss it in the marinade to coat it thoroughly.

How long should I marinate the meat?

Since we’re all about flavor, it’s best to marinate the meat overnight. If you can’t, though, try to marinate it for atleastfour hours. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-12 hours.

The marinade can be made a week in advance, but the meat shouldn’t sit in it for longer than 24 hours. After a full day in the marinade, the proteins in the pork become very tough. If you know you won’t use it in time, just freeze the meat in the marinade. The pork can be frozen for 2 months.

How do I make the filling forPasteles de Cerdo(or porkpasteles)?

About an hour before you plan to assemble yourpasteles,cook the pork filling. Because the stewing of the pork filling is hands-off towards the end, I get it started and simmer as I prepare themasa. However, this step can be done a day ahead and the cooked filling stored in the fridge.

Heat acalderoover medium-high heat. Add the diced pork from your cutting sesh to thecalderoand let it heat up along with the pot. Slowly heating the fat allows it to render without burning. Once the fat has released about a tablespoon of lard, you can remove it with a slotted spoon or just leave it in the pot.

Add thesofritoto the pot with the rendered fat (or lard) and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.

How long should I cook the pork?

Because this meat comes from the shoulder, you need to leave it to do its thing to ensure it’s nice and tender come eating time.

Add the marinated pork to the pot and brown it over medium-heat heat for 8-10 minutes.

Now, stir in the tomato sauce, sliced olives, capers, andbay leaves. Bring the mixture up to a boil before reducing the temperature to low. Cover the pot and allow the meat to simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until a bit of meat you sneak tastes tender.

If you went the poultry route, you need only simmer the meat for 10-15 minutes. The seafood only needs another 10 minutes, tops.

Can I make the pork filling in advance?

Yes, this meat can go straight into thepastelesnow, or you can store it for a couple of days in the fridge. It all depends on if you’re making the filling ahead or not.

If you’re making thepastelesin the next couple of days, once the meat is nice and tender, turn the stove off and leave the pork to cool for a half-hour or so. Transfer the filling to a storage container and store it in the fridge for up to two days.

Making thepastelesstraight away? Leave the pork filling in the pot and save the dishes.

You can evenfreezethis meat now. Just cool it completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container or storage bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw a day in advance and use it as instructed below.

What do I use to keep themasaforpastelessoft?

Abuela Leria taught me that the bone from the pork shoulder should never just be thrown away. “Make a broth with it!” The broth is what keeps the masa nice and fluffy instead of hard and grainy.

To make the broth:

1. Grab astockpot.
2. Add to the pot the bone you cut from the pork, the other half of that onion for the filling, and a piece ofcheeseclothfilled with bay leaves, garlic cloves, and peppercorns.
3. Tie up thebouquet garni(that’s the fancy French name for the spice packet) with some butcher’s twine.
4. Tie one end of the twine to the handle of your pot and leave the bouquet inside the pot.

Fill the pot with just enough cold water to cover the bone. You don’t need more than 2 cups unless you’re making a massive batch ofpasteles.

Bring the water up to a boil over medium-high heat. Don’t stir the broth as it boils. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the broth to simmer for 30 minutes. After 15-20 minutes of simmering, the broth will develop a gray, foamy scum on its surface. This is the result of the impurities from the bone and water being forced out and up. Use a wide spoon to skim the scum from the surface and deposit it into a bowl. Throw the scum away and continue simmering the broth until the 30 minute cook time has elapsed.

I find that this broth’s flavor is perfect for our tastes, but if you want a more hammy-ham broth, you can add a cube (or a teaspoon) ofjamónbouillonto the broth towards the end of the cooking time.

After the broth is done, leave it to cool on the stove for ten minutes.

How long does the broth keep?

Use a ladle to pour the broth through a cheesecloth-lined funnel intomason jars. The cheesecloth traps any remaining scum, leaving you a clearer, better tasting broth. Screw the lids on and store the broth in the fridge or keep it close at hand if you’re making thepastelesright away.

The broth keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days. Freeze the broth for 3 months. Make sure your containers are freezer-safe before doing so.

What do I need to make themasaforPasteles?

The ingredients you need to make themasaareguineos verdes(green bananas),yautía(malanga),calabaza(Kabocha squash), andbatata(white sweet potato).Adoboandachiote(annatto) oil flavors and colors themasa. Our homemade ham broth will soften it and flavor it as well.

To prepare themasaitself, you need a large-capacity 14-cup food processor. But, since we need to prepare the vegetables to gointothe food processor, grab a chef’s knife and a vegetable peeler.

What’s the difference between green bananas and regular bananas?

Green bananas are not the same as green plantains, and they’re not quite the same as an unripened banana from the store.Guineos verdes(gee-NAY-ohs vehr-days) are much smaller and less starchy than plantains. Unlike the slightly green, but still sweet, bananas at the grocery store, these haven’t been gassed. That means you have more time to use them before they turn yellow-ifthey ever turn yellow- and sweet.

There are a few methods you can employ to make peeling green bananas easier. First, on acutting board, lop off both stem ends of the bananas. Take the tip of your paring knife and make a slit down the backs and fronts of each banana. Then pick your poison:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Plunge the bananas in the water for 2 minutes (or until the peel turns black). Remove the bananas from the water, plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process, and then peel.I don’t care for this method because it’sonemore step in the cooking process and creates more dishes. It also softens the bananas too much for my liking.
• Wrap the bananas in damp kitchen towels. Microwave them on high for 1-2 minutes, or until they start to steam. Remove them from the microwave, allow them to cool slightly, then peel.Ineveruse this method because it stains my towels something fierce, and it cooks the bananas.
• Fill alarge mixing bowlwith hot saltwater. Put the bananas into the saltwater and leave them to soak while you peel and chop the other vegetables (or 20 minutes). Once the other veggies are peeled and chopped, peel the bananas. The soak softens the peel, making them easier to remove.

The bananas, once peeled, can be left whole.

What other vegetables do I add?

To add color and flavor to themasa, peel and chop a wedge ofcalabaza(Kabocha squash). Thoughcalabazameans pumpkin, the two are not the same. Kabocha squash is more like acorn squash than pumpkin. So, if you can’t find the former, use the latter.

Cut thecalabazainto 2-inch chunks and throw them into a fresh bowl of cold saltwater.

Yautía (malanga is a good substitute, too) helps to bind the masa and keeps it from falling apart. In a pinch, taro root is another good substitute. There are also different types of yautía.Look foryautía lila (which has a purple undertone beneath the peel) or plain, white yautíato use in yourpasteles.

Use avegetable peelerto remove the skin from theyautía. Cut it into wedges, lengthwise.Yautíais slippery so take care when you cut it. Add it to the bowl with thecalabaza.

I also add abatatato mypasteles. Potato of any sort- Russet, Yukon Gold, or sweet potato- will soften themasa. I add batata both for texture and to reduce the amount of achioteoil and broth I have to add towards the end. But, you can omit it if you want.

What about Plantains??

What about them?

Abuela once told me that the best way to end up with hard pasteles that the neighbors ridicule you over is to add plantains. And guess how many times she had to repeat that to me? That’s right, zero.

Plantains don’t go in pastelesunless you live in an area where green bananas are non-existent. But since every city has bananas, that’s not possible. Ask your produce manager to order a case of “ungassed bananas”. Take that case home, get to shredding, and tell your friends and family to pay you for your labor. Done and done.

Leave the plantains fortostones.

Do I need a special machine to make the masa for my Pasteles?

Nooooooooo!!!No! No. I can’t express that enough. You donotneed to spend an insane amount of money to buy a particular machine to make themasafor yourpasteles.I don’t care what “chefs” on YouTube are trying to tell you. You know I don’t believe in buying kitchen stuff just to buy it. I also don’t believe in purchasing equipment that only has one use.

All you need to makemasais a14 cup food processor. At the very least, you need a grater and blender; or, just a grater. The old-school way to grind themasawas to use the grater alone or craft a grater from tin lids. Those processes require some elbow grease, though. I’m all about convenience, so the food processor is my preferred method.

First, set up your food processor with the grater blade. Turn the machine on and add the bananas and root veggies you have soaking in the saltwater. Step one is done!

How do I keep my food processor from burning out?

People think that you can’t use a food processor to makemasaforpastelesbecause it will cause the motor to burn out. Most often, that happens because the veggies weren’t grated before being pureed. Grating the vegetables/fruits first gives the food processor a break, so it’s not overwhelmed with the mass of what you’re pureeing.

After you grate the root veggies:

1. Remove the grater attachment and replace it with the blade attachment.
2. Add a quarter of the shredded veggies to the food processor bowl and puree for 1-2 minutes.
3. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Puree for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.

You now havemasa! No bulky, one-use wonder needed. Go you!

Scoop this batch out and continue in 1/4 batches with the remaining shredded veggies. Breaking the masa down in batches like this also reduces the stress on your processor’s motor.

What givespasteles their color?

Pasteleshave a characteristic orange glow that beckons us to them like a moth to the flame.That golden glow comes fromachioteoil. .

After pureeing the masa, use alarge spoonto stir the whole batch together. Themasawill be smooth- free of lumps- and almost spongy: a light and airymasaequal fluffy, softpasteles.

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of achiote oil to themasa in the bowl. How much oil you use depends on the color you prefer your masa to be and how much liquid remains in yourmasa from the pureeing process. I hover right at 1/3 cup. In addition to the achioteoil, the ham broth adds more flavor and softens themasa further. Add anywhere from 1/2 cup of broth to 1 cup.

Some folks add milk to theirmasa.Milk also softens it. I’ve never found the need for it, but ifyour Abuela told you to use it, you’d better do it.

Can I make themasaforpastelesin advance?

Themasaat this point is smooth and spreadable, like hummus or yogurt. Use your spoon to play around with themasain the bowl. The spoon should leave swirls as pictured. If liquid pools at the bottom of the bowl, it’s too runny and needs another banana. Too firm? Add more ham stock.

Themasaforpastelescan be made a day in advance and refrigerated in a sealed container. Don’t make it too far in advance (more than 24 hours) because themasawill start to brown.

Can I freeze themasa?

You can freeze themasafor 6 months. Prepare it as instructed and transfer it to a freezer storage bag. Freeze themasalaying flat, then stand it up in the freezer once it’s frozen solid. This saves space in the freezer.

Once you’re ready to make yourpasteles,you’ll need to thaw it two days prior. One day is actually for thawing themasa. You need to drain themasain anut bagor cheesecloth bag for an hour on day two. This will extract excess water that may have accumulated during freezing. Themasawill be liquidy without straining, and as a result, the cookedpasteleswill be mushy and bland.

What kind of paper are Pasteles wrapped in?

Okay, Friend! We’re almost there. Itoldyou this was an intensive post. Hang in there!

Pasteles are traditionally wrapped in banana leaves and parchment paper. Because banana leaves are naturally stiff, you’ll need to prepare them before using themorbuy frozen banana leaves from the store. Since I prefer to keep my coins in my pocket, I save the pennies by prepping them myself.

First: remove the rigid rib on the banana leaf’s inner part with a pair ofkitchen shearsor scissors. Then, use the shears to snip away any brown, black, orsuperyellow parts of the leaf. Wrapping yourpastelesin leaves that are old or too black will cause them to taste moldy.

Can I just use the banana leaves right away?

Before cutting the leaves to size, wipe them down both sides with a damp kitchen towel or paper towels. This removes dirt and foreign stuff from the leaves.

Now you need to soften the banana leaves. This, again, is why I leave them so large. It gives me more space between the fire and my hand.

Fresh banana leaves have to be wilted to make them pliable. Grab the leaf with a pair oftongs. Pass the leaf over your gas stove’s high flame, starting on end and going to the other. You will see that the leaf will “frost” over as the fire heats it. That’s the film in the leaf melting away, which is what softens the leaf. Two passes are all it should take for the leaf to become “bendy”.

Continue passing the leaves, on both sides, over the flame until all of your leaves are wilted. If you don’t have a gas or butane stove, you can use a butane torch. If you don’t have either, you need to freeze your banana leaves overnight.

Now,cut the leaves into a rectangle that measures 7 1/2-inches by 6-inches.

Can I use frozen banana leaves from the store?

If the thought of prepping the banana leaves doesn’t fill you with joy, just buyfrozen banana leaves. The manufacturer does all of the hard work for you with these. Find them in the frozen section of your grocery store or in an Asian or Hispanic food market. Because they’re frozen, plan ahead and thaw them in the fridge before using them.

I can’t find banana leaves for wrapping my pasteles. Can I omit them?

Since, depending on your location, you might not have access to the banana leaves, it’s okay to leave them out. Wrap yourpastelesin the parchment paper alone.

I strongly advise against wrapping yourpastelesin aluminum foil. I discourage that method because aluminum foil can penetrate your food when cooked in it. Parchment paper is easily accessible these days, and it’s right by the foil in the grocery store. To wrap thepastelesyou need 18parchment sheets cut in 18-inch by 12-inch rectangles or buy pre-cut sheets of parchment paper.

Gather the supplies to assemble the Pasteles

FINALLY! We are ready to assemble our firstpastel!

Gather all of the components: the pork filling,masa, banana leaves, any add-ins- I’m adding red pepper slices and olives-achioteoil, a pair of scissors, the parchment sheets, andbutcher’s twine. To make things go faster, I cut all of my twine before beginning. I know this recipe makes 19pasteles(that’s not a random number; you’ll discover that in a minute). I measure out the string to be double the length of my sheets, plus four-inches so 40-inches. That gives me more than enough slack to tie my bundles of twopasteles.

The pork filling doesn’t have to be hot, but youdowant the juices from it to be runny. It adds more flavor to thepasteles.

Assembly

Start by laying a banana leaf in the center of a parchment rectangle.

Spread a tablespoon of theachioteoil onto the center of a pliable banana leaf. Because themasacan become sticky during cooking, spreading oil on the leaf keeps the pasteles from sticking to it when you unwrap them.

Now take a large spoonful (about a 1/2-cup) of themasaand plop it into the center of the banana leaf. Use the spoon to spread themasainto a oval that leaves, roughly, 1″ margin of banana leaf showing.

Top themasa with a 1/4 cup of the pork filling, then spoon a tablespoon of the broth from the pork filling on to the meat.Now, I add a good deal of meat to mypasteles.I do so because I’d be mortified if someone ever said, “Lospasteles deMartaestaban ciegos,” or, “Marta’spasteles wereblind.” Which admittedly makes more sense in Spanish than in English. You don’t want to be fodder for the neighborhood gossip meal, so don’t skimp on the meat.

Top the meat with your add-ins. Again, I always add slices of roasted red peppers. You can use mild or spicy peppers, but if you use spicy peppers, make sure to use ared-colored twineso you can tell the difference between the two. I also add manzanilla olives to my filling.

Some people I know add raisins or garbanzo beans to theirpasteles. Customize them to your preference.

How do you wrap Pasteles?

Don’t let this step overwhelm you.

Bring the two long edges up to meet each other over thepastel. Think of it like you’re folding a bed sheet and bringing the edges together. Once the edges are lined up, fold the paper over one inch. Now, fold the parchment over in half to form a band that’s almost as wide as thepastel. This encases the meat in themasa.

Fold one-inch of paper on the short end of the bundle towards thepastel. Now, fold the “tail” or unfilled end of paper towards the center of the bundle. It should land right about midway to thepastel. Repeat on the opposite side.

You’ve just wrapped your firstpastel!

Test the first one before wrapping the rest!

Before you go wrapping up the rest of thepasteles, first, test this one. There’s nothing worse than spending an hour assembling and wrapping thepastelesonly to taste them at Christmas and discover the masa needed more salt. Oooooh! I getsomad when that happens.

Tie the bundle with a piece of twine in a cross pattern. This will keep the paper from opening in the pot.

Next, bring a pot of heavily salted water to a rapid boil. Once the water’s boiling, add your testpastelto the pot and boil it for 30-35 minutes. After cooking, remove it from the pot and unwrap it. Give it a taste. Heck! Have everyone in the kitchen taste it to see if it needs more salt. Instead of plain salt, I addadoboif themasaneeds it. Becauseadoboalso has garlic and onion powder, it’s a better option flavor-wise than salt is.

Addadoboor salt to the masa to taste, then start assembling the remainingpasteles.This is where the assembly line that we all grew up with comes into play. Someone can be the leaf-oiler, another can be themasa-spreader, the filling and add-in person, and a wrapper/tie guy is at the end.

How do I tie thePasteles?

Some people find this to be the most complicated part of the recipe. Tying thepastelesis essential because you don’t want them to open during the boiling stage and leakmasaeverywhere.

There’s also a traditional way to wrap thepastelesthat make people’s hearts flutter when they see it. I think it’s because it makes people think of parcels from home.Pastelescome inyuntasor pairs or sets of two. They’re usually sold or given indocenasorseis yuntas(a dozen or six pairs of two). I know, I know, that’s too much math for me, also. Just remember this: they’re packaged in bundles of two.

Stack twopasteleswith the folded ends face to face (or touching each other). Grab your cut piece of twine and hold the cut ends together, holding the string’s loop in one hand and two loose ends in the other hand.

Slide the string under the stackedpasteles, making sure the bundle’s short end sits right in the middle of the two strings.

Bring the three fingers of the hand with the looped end up. Go through the loop with those fingers and grab the two strings in the other hand.

Pull the two loose ends through the loop and towards the sides of the bundle.

Flip the bundle over and bring the string’s edges under the two strands on the backside (formed earlier by the loop). Tie the two loose ends in a knot andviolá! You’ve tied your firstyuntade pasteles.

How shouldPastelesbe stored?

Pastelesmust be refrigerated after assembling. So, if you plan to dole them out to a few fortunate recipients, pack them in a food storage bag and store them for 24 hours in the fridge. Any longer than that, and you either need to cook or freeze them to keep the masafrom spoiling.

Can I freeze them?

Absolutely.Pastelesare typically frozen after making, so we can have them “in stock” throughout the holiday season.

Pack theyuntasindocenas(or bundles of 6) to make a dozenpasteles per bag. Slide them into a gallon-size ziplocfreezerstorage bag. Freeze thepastelesfor 6-8 months.

When I’m ready, how long do I boil Pasteles?

Pastelesmust be boiled in salted water. It’s just the way things are done.

Boil them straight from the freezer; no need to thaw. Bring a gallon of water to a rapid boil. Add a 1/4-cup of salt to the water and give it a few seconds to dissolve.

Slide your bundles of frozenpastelesinto the boiling water and boil them for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. If you’re boiling fresh, unfrozenpasteles, you only need to cook them for 30-40 minutes.

Once the pasteles are cooked, lift them from the pot using a kitchen fork or tongs and set them in a colander set inside the sink to drain a bit. Play a bit ofHot Potatoand snip the strings off of the bundles. I prefer to cut both ends of the paper off before unwrapping thepastel,revealing it and letting it slide onto my plate. Others are masochists who like to burn themselves unwrapping the steaming hotpastelall at once.

However you get to thepasteles, slide them onto your plate after unwrapping. And, no, the banana leaf is not to be eaten. It just flavors thepastel and should be discarded with the parchment paper and twine. But, youcan use it as a plate!

How do you eatPasteles?

Pastelesare most often served withPernil,Arroz con Gandules,and potato salad. A plate of that garlicky roast pork, rice with pigeon peas, and potato salad with its surprise bite of apple is classic. A glass of our coconut-cinnamon rum cocktail, orCoquito, which is our answer to eggnog, is never too far away.

You can servepasteleson their own or with a side salad.

How do I store leftoverPasteles?

Store leftoverpastelesin a food storage container in the fridge for no more than 24 hours. I don’t care for day-old, cookedpasteles.Pastelesbecome gummy and hard when you reheat them, which means they’re not appealing. Reheat thepastelesin the microwave covered with a damp paper towel.

I did it!!! YOU did it!!! We finally finished! Now you have the exhaustive guide to making authentic Puerto Rican pasteles! Be sure to pin this recipe to your dinner boards and share it with the ones you love!