Pastelle making has long been one of our Christmas traditions. It's an occasion when friends get together and in assembly line fashion, produce hundreds of these aromatic, delightful stuffed cornmeal packages.If you are not a pastelle maker then you are probably someone who purchases them. What surprises me, is the people who fearfully refrain from pastelle making, complain about the unsatisfactory nature of the purchased pastelle. I've heard comments ranging from not enough filling, to no olives or capers and even too much cornmeal dough. Well, you can easily predict my solution–make them at home.
Lets face it, buying pastelles is expensive, and you have no control over the ingredients. I think that what is most daunting to the rookies, is the false belief that pastelle making must yield at least ten dozen at a time. Not so, if you want the easy way to make pastelles, start with a recipe that yields 12 to 15 pastelles, and get yourself a good pastelle press. You can even purchase prepared banana leaves. But when the going gets tough you can use aluminium foil.To prepare fig leaves, steam them in a large pot of boiling water for ten minutes until they become pliable and soft. Or they may be softened by waving them over an open flame.Here is a really delicious recipe to get you started.
CORNMEAL DOUGHAND PASTELLE ASSEMBLY
2 cups yellow cornmeal
3 cups warm water
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 tsp salt
METHOD
In a food processor or by hand, combine cornmeal with butter and salt.
Add enough water (begin by adding just 2 cups) water and process to make a soft, pliable dough. If needed add a little more water.
Divide the dough into 12 balls of dough. Cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
Place one piece of dough on a greased fig leaf, and press to an 8-inch width, spoon two tablespoons filling onto the middle of the dough and fold and seal pastelles.
Wrap in fig leaf and tie into a neat package.
Steam pastelles for 45 minutes until cooked.
Makes 12 to 15 pastelles
CHICKENAND BEEF PASTELLES
Filling
1 lb chopped beef and chicken or chicken only
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tbsps olive oil
1 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
2 pimento peppers, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chopped celery
1/2 Congo pepper, seeded and chopped, (optional)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup tomato sauce
4 tbsps capers
3 tbsps stuffed olives, sliced
1/4 cup raisins
2 tbsps fresh thyme
METHOD
Combine beef with chicken. Add salt and black pepper. Add 1/4 cup chopped chives and one tablespoon of thyme.
In a large saut� pan, heat olive oil. Add onion, garlic and saut� until fragrant. Add pimento peppers, remaining chive, pepper, and thyme, add meat and cook until brown.
Add tomato sauce, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add raisins, capers and olives and stir to combine.
Cook for about five minutes more, taste and adjust seasoning.
Add two tablespoons fresh thyme and stir to combine. Remove from heat and cool.
Prepare dough as in recipe above and fill and fold pastelles as indicated.
Makes 12 to 15 pastelles
FISH PASTELLES
Filling
1 lb boneless, skinless fish fillets
3 onions, finely chopped
4 tbsps olive oil
1/2 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh Spanish thyme
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 pimento peppers, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 Congo pepper, seeded and chopped, (optional)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tbsps tomato paste
2 tbsps capers
2 tbsps stuffed olives, sliced
1/3 cup raisins
12, 9-inch by 9-inch sized pieces of prepared fig leaves.
String to tie pastelles.
METHOD
Combine fish with one tbsps chopped chive and one tbsps thyme
In a large saut� pan heat olive oil, add onion, garlic and saut� until fragrant.
Add pimento, peppers, cook until fragrant.
Add fish and saut� for about ten minutes, remove and chop finely, return to pot.
Add tomato paste and the balance of the thyme and chives. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add raisins, capers and olives and stir to combine.
Cook for about five minutes more, taste and adjust seasoning.
Add parsley and stir to combine.
Remove from heat and cool.
Prepare dough as in recipe above and fill and fold pastilles as indicated.
Makes 12 to 15 pastelles