[Recipe + Video] Pasteles en Hoja (Dominican Plantain Pockets)
Pasteles en Hoja (Plantain and Beef Pockets) are an essential part of Dominicans Christmas and New Year's Eve dinner. Recipe with step by step photos makes your life so much easier.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 136kcal
Ingredients
Filling
- Filling (see list above recipe)
For the batter
- 1 plantain (green, unripe) or 1½ medium plantain (½ lb [227 g] once peeled, see notes)
- ⅓ pound yautía (malanga) [151 g] peeled
- ⅓ pound auyama (kabocha squash) [151 g] peeled
- 1 tablespoon seasoning powder (must contain garlic and onion)
- 1 cup milk (whole or skim) [237 ml]
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon butter (salted) [28 g]
- 1 tablespoon bija (annato, achiote) powder
For wrapping
- 12 Banana tree leaves squares (see notes)
- 12 Leafs parchment paper (Amazon affiliate link - see notes)
- Twine (the kind of string used for food)
For boiling
Instructions
- Making the batter by hand: Grate the plantain, yautía, and auyama with the least coarse side of the grater. Once grated, combine all the ingredients for the batter and mix well.Making the batter with blender/food processor: Chop the plantain, yautía, and auyama, and combine with the rest of the ingredients for the batter. Pureé in a strong blender or a food processor until it's uniform, and you can't feel any clumps, but feels like grains of sand in it. It may take 5-10 minutes depending on the blender/processor.
- Wrapping: Put 2.5 tablespoons of the plantain and root mixture on one of the plantain squares. Put 2 tablespoons of filling in the center, cover with 2 more tablespoons of the root mixture to cover the filling.Fold the leaf square in the shape of an envelope. Wrap again in parchment paper and tie tightly.Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Boiling: When all are wrapped, bring one gallon of water to boil in a large pot over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of salt.When the water reaches a rolling boil, carefully lower the pasteles into the water. Cover and cook for 40 minutes. The pasteles will float when put into the water, but as they cook they'll start to puff and sink. Make sure to turn a couple of times during the cooking time so they cook uniformly on all sides. Once the 40 minutes have passed, remove one from the pot, unwrap, and check for doneness: the consistency of the batter will have changed throughout. If it's ready, remove all from the water, otherwise boil for another 10 minutes.
- Serving: Serve right after unwrapping, garnished with hot sauce and/or ketchup.
Video
Notes
Why do I ask you to weigh the plantain? Not all plantains are created equal. Exhibit no. 1:
Plantain is the most important ingredient in this recipe, and how much of it is added will determine the consistency of the final product. Since I don't know what size plantains you'll find, the safest way is to determine its weight once peeled. This is probably only necessary the first (or first few) time you make this dish, and eventually, you'll be able to just eyeball it.
Cut the plantain leaves into 5"x5" [13 x 13 cm] squares.
For wrapping I prefer to use both plantain leaves and parchment paper [Amazon affiliate link], it is more waterproof that way and the plantain leaves retain a nicer color. If you cannot find plantain leaves, then use parchment paper only. Just make sure to tighten the twine [Amazon affiliate link].
Ketchup? No ketchup? Hot sauce? No hot sauce? Nobody agrees on any of these questions. Ketchup is the most common dressing for this dish, followed by both. But you choose what you like best, and how much.
The nutritional info only includes the batter, not the filling. See the links above the recipe to pick a filling, and check its nutritional information in its recipe.
Plantain is the most important ingredient in this recipe, and how much of it is added will determine the consistency of the final product. Since I don't know what size plantains you'll find, the safest way is to determine its weight once peeled. This is probably only necessary the first (or first few) time you make this dish, and eventually, you'll be able to just eyeball it.
Cut the plantain leaves into 5"x5" [13 x 13 cm] squares.
For wrapping I prefer to use both plantain leaves and parchment paper [Amazon affiliate link], it is more waterproof that way and the plantain leaves retain a nicer color. If you cannot find plantain leaves, then use parchment paper only. Just make sure to tighten the twine [Amazon affiliate link].
Ketchup? No ketchup? Hot sauce? No hot sauce? Nobody agrees on any of these questions. Ketchup is the most common dressing for this dish, followed by both. But you choose what you like best, and how much.
The nutritional info only includes the batter, not the filling. See the links above the recipe to pick a filling, and check its nutritional information in its recipe.Nutrition
Serving: 2pasteles | Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 638mg | Potassium: 471mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 928IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg