Go Back
–+ servings
TrinidadPastelleRecipe-25
Renee Robley

Trinidad Pastelle Recipe

5 from 3 votes
Trinidad pastelles are savory corn flour pies filled with seasoned meat, olives, capers, and raisins, wrapped in banana leaves, and cooked until tender. A traditional favorite during Christmas in Trinidad and Tobago.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Start Cooking
Share Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Caribbean
Calories: 263
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the dough
  • 2 cups corn flour I use Promasa
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2½ cups warm water plus more if needed
For the filling
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup finely ground onion
  • 1/4 cup finely ground chive
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 pimento peppers finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon pimento sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 1/4 cup chopped olives
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 stalk celery finely ground
  • 2 chadon beni culantro leaves, chopped
For wrapping
  • Banana leaves for wrapping Foil can be used if banana leaves aren’t available.
  • Food-grade twine

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. In a large bowl, mix corn flour, oil, sugar, and salt.
  2. Gradually add the warm water, mixing as you go, until a soft, pliable dough forms. Add a little more water only if needed.
  3. Divide the dough into 12 balls. Make them smaller if you prefer smaller pastelles.
Prepare the filling
  1. Heat oil in a skillet.
  2. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant.
  3. Add ground beef and cook through.
  4. Season with salt, black pepper, and pimento.
  5. Stir in the chive, celery, and chadon beni. Cook until the meat is tender.
  6. Remove from the heat. Mix in the raisins, capers, and olives. Set aside to cool.
Assemble the pastelles
  1. Lightly oil one side of a banana leaf square.
  2. Place a ball of dough on the oiled side and flatten it into a thin, even circle using oiled fingers, a bottle, plate, or press. The dough should be thin enough to fold easily without being so thin that it tears.
  3. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling into the center. Avoid overfilling, as this can cause the dough to tear when folded.
  4. Fold the left side of the leaf to cover the filling. Pull the leaf back.
  5. Fold the right side of the leaf to cover the filling. Pull the leaf back.
  6. Fold in the short ends the same way to completely enclose the filling.
  7. Wrap the banana leaf securely around the pastelle and tie with twine.
  8. Repeat for all dough balls.
Cook the pastelles
  1. Add pastelles to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil for 25–30 minutes.
  2. Alternatively, place them in a colander or steamer basket over boiling water, making sure they don’t touch the water. Cover and steam for about 30 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcal

Notes

  • You can use other meats (chicken, pork, turkey) or try a vegetarian version with mushrooms.
  • For a smoother filling, pulse the cooked meat in a food processor before stuffing.

Recipe Printed From ThisBagoGirl.com

QR Code

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!
QR Code linking back to recipe