Delightful Creole Caribbean Flavours : Pastelles: A Caribbean Christmas Tradition

Pastelles: A Caribbean Christmas Tradition

You’ll Need…

For the filling
1.5 lb mixed ground meat (pork | beef | veal)
2 onions, chopped
2 scallions
2 tablespoon thyme
1/2 habanero or scotch bonnet pepper
2 pimento peppers
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup ketchup
1 tsp Worcester sauce
3 tbsp capers (optional)
2 tbsp olives, chopped
½ cup raisins (I didn’t have any so I had to do without this time)

For the cornmeal outer layer

2 cups cornmeal (I see my note below)
3 cups lukewarm water
4 tbsp cooking oil
1 ¼ tsp salt
Banana leaves for wrapping and about 2 tablespoon veg oil for brushing the leaves.

Note: The traditional way is to use beef or pork and maybe chicken and it’s not common to mix the meats. Most people stick to one type of meat.

The first thing we’ll do is to prepare the filling since we must allow it to cool before we can proceed with actually making the pastelles. In a large sauce pan (no oil needed) add the ground meats and proceed to brown on a medium heat. Please use a wooden spoon (I find this works best) to continuously break up the meat as it cooks. We don’t want any large lumps.

As the meat cooks, lets prepare the other ingredients for adding to the filling mix. Chop the onion, garlic, peppers and scallion… give the olives and capers a rough chop as well.

The ground meat should be fully cooked by now. I used lean ground meats so there’s residual fat in the pan. If you find that you have oil at the bottom of the pan, try to spoon it out. Now add the diced onion, garlic, peppers and scallion to the pan and on a low/med heat allow to cook until soft (about 3-4 minutes). Next up, add the capers and olives give it a good stir. Finally add the black pepper, ketchup, Worcester sauce and salt. If you have raisins, add them now as well. Allow this to cook for a couple minutes, then turn off the stove and allow to cool.

Basically all you’re doing is in a large bowl, mix the water, corn meal flour, oil and salt to make a dough.

Make 12 equal balls with the dough, but as you make them.. be sure to cover with plastic wrap pr a damp tea towel or they will dry up.

Let’s prepare the green banana leaves for wrapping these packets of heaven. If you’re using fresh cut leaves you’ll have to pass them over an open flame to make them easier to work with. If not, they will not fold and will burst/crack on you. Cut them into 8 to 10 inch squares, wipe with a wet towel to clean off any residue and get ready to assemble.

I had a small bowl with vegetable oil and a brush handy. Brush some oil in the middle of each leaf, then place a ball of dough and worked it till I got a fairly large circle (make sure you have even thickness). If you have a tortilla press, it will make this step very easy for you. Now grab a heaping tablespoon (or more) of the cooled filling and place in the center. Using the sides of the leaf, fold until you get a small package (see video below). Now tie with some string and repeat for the rest of them.