Mexican Pastelitos Recipes

MEXICAN PASTELITOS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 2 cookie sheets. Place the butter and superfine sugar in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Sift the flour, cornstarch, and cinnamon into a separate bowl, then gradually work dry ingredients into creamed mixture with a wooden spoon. When well mixed, knead until smooth.
• Take 1 teaspoons at a time of the mixture and roll into a ball. place the balls on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until pale golden.
• Place the confectioners' sugar in a shallow dish and toss the pastelitos in it while they are still warm. Let cool on cooling racks.

PASTELITOS -- LITTLE FRUIT PIES (SOUTHWEST)

Steps:

• FOR THE FILLING: In a saucepan, put apricots in cold water & simmer gently until fruit is soft, about 30 minutes, then drain.
• In a food processor or blender, puree the apricots, then return the puree to the saucepan, add the brown sugar & cook until puree is very thick, about 8-10 minutes.
• Remove puree from heat, then add raisins & nuts, & set aside to cool.
• FOR THE DOUGH: While the puree is cooling, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder & salt, then cut in the butter & shortening until pea-size pieces form.
• Add just enough ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to make the flour stick together, then shape into a flattened ball, wrap in plastic & refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, then cut the flattened ball in half & roll one of the halves out on a GREASED baking sheet.
• Spread the fruit mixture on top, ALMOST to the edge.
• Roll out the second half of the dough large enough to cover the fruit mixture, then place it on top, before pressing the edges together all around to seal.
• In a small container, whisk together the 1/3 cup of sugar & 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, then sprinkle that on top of the prepared pastry. Finally, with the blunt edge of a table knife, mark the pastry into small squares & prick each square with a fork ~ There should be about 30 small squares marked off.
• Bake about 20 minutes, or until pastry is lightly browned, then cool & cut into the marked squares.

PASTELITOS DE QUESO AS MADE BY VIVIAN HERNANDEZ-JACKSON RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle 1½ cups (300 G) sugar onto a clean surface, about 5 inches larger all around than the sheet of puff pastry.
• Place the puff pastry over the sugar and sprinkle the remaining 1½ cups (300 G) sugar on top.
• Gently press the sugar into the dough, then use a rolling pin to roll out the pastry to a 24 x 14-inch rectangle.
• Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the pastry into 9 equal squares.
• Add the cream cheese to a piping bag fitted with a ¾-inch round tip.
• Pipe the cream cheese diagonally onto the center of each pastry square.
• Bring one corner of the dough diagonally over the cream cheese to meet the opposite corner, then roll up into a log. Divide the pastelitos between the prepared baking sheets, making sure the seams are on the bottom so the pastelitos do not unroll during baking.
• Bake the pastelitos for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and puffed. Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate to cool completely before serving.
• Enjoy!

PASTELITOS DE CARNE (CENTRAL AMERICAN MEAT PIES)

Steps:

• On medium high in a large pan, cook the ground beef and drain extra fat. To the cooked beef, add in the rice, cilantro and salt to taste. Cook for about 2 more minutes to heat thru. Set aside and let cool for about 7-10 minute.
• Meanwhile, In a large bowl, mix the masa harina, paprika, chicken bullion and pepper.
• Using a Pastry blender or fork, cut the lard into the masa mix until the masa is crumbly and the lard is pea size or smaller.
• Add the warm water, 1 cup at a time, to the masa and using your hands, mix well until the water is fully incorperated. The masa should not be sticky or dry. If it is sticky add a little bit more masa (1 tspn at a time) or if it is dry add water (1 tbspn at a time).
• Rub a little bit of cooking oil into your hands to make the following step easier. Take out about 2 table spoons of masa and roll into a ball. Using a tortilla press or a rolling pin, make the ball into the size of tortilla but be careful not to roll out to thin. The thickness has to be twice as thick as a tortilla or about the thickness of a pita bread. If it is too thin, the pies will not hold when you stuff them.
• Heat your deep fry oil on a large frying pan on medium high heat (almost high heat).
• Place rolled out dough on a flate surface and add about 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture in the middle. Close in half (creating the shape of a meat pie or half moon). Seal in edges with your fingers and creat small indintations with the end of a fork all around the edge of the pie.
• Before frying, test oil readiness by dropping a small piece dough into the oil. If it automatically sizzles and floats to the top, it is ready. Carefully slide in meat pies into the hot oil and cook about 3-4 minutes per side or until deep golden brown.
• Drain very well on paper towels. You can also slightly press a paper towel against the fried pies to remove excess oil. You can serve whole over a bed of shredded green cabbage or cut in half and serve Sarita's All purpose Tomato Sauce on the side.