Pasteles with Feta Cheese Filling
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Posted by:jrt
Pasteles originated in Spain among the Sephardic Jews and moved with them to North Africa, Turkey and Greece and even to the Caribbean (in fact, pasteles are popular among non-Jewish Puerto Ricans). There are many filling options for pasteles, as for burekas and boyos. This recipe calls for feta cheese, but other cheeses work well, as well as meat or potato fillings.
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Ingredients
For the dough:
2 cups vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups water
1 tbs. salt
8 cups flour
For the filling:
2 lb. Feta cheese, crumbled with a fork
6-8 tbs. fresh parsley, chopped finely
White pepper, to taste
For top:
1 egg, beaten
2 tbs. water
Sesame seeds
Directions
- Mix the vegetable oil and water together in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
- Add salt then sift flour into mixture. Mix and set aside to cool.
- When the dough is cool enough to handle, knead it gently.
- Remove ¼ of the dough and set aside.
- Roll the remaining dough into small walnut sized balls.
- Take the set aside dough and roll into small balls – make as many small balls as there are the walnut sized balls. These small balls will be used as tops for the pasteles.
- Using your thumb and index finger, form the walnut sized balls into cups, making sure that the sides are uniform in width.
- To make the filling: Mix filling ingredients and work to a coarse paste
- Fill each with a small amount of filling and set aside.
- Take the small dough balls and flatten them out. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Place the flattened dough pieces with sesame seeds and cover the pasteles, pressing the edges together (slightly upwards).
- Use a knife to make a fringe around the pressed edge of the pasteles. The pasteles should be nicely rounded on the sides with a flat bottom.
- Bake at 425 degrees (F) for 20 minutes until lightly brown.
Reader Comments
Elie says...
I haven't tried this but my my mother used to make these with cheese and spinach.
Nov 26, 2008 (report abuse)