Pastela Recipe
A typical Brazilian fast-food snack deep-fried, crispy offered with ground-beef filling or a tasty mozzarella cheese filling.
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Ingredients
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Dough
Filling (Ground Beef)
Filling (Mozzarella Cheese)
For Frying
Method
Dough Preparation
- 1
Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt.
- 2
Incorporate Butter
Add the butter to the flour mixture and mix until crumbly.
- 3
Form the Dough
Gradually add water and mix until a dough forms. Knead for about 5 minutes until smooth.
- 4
Rest the Dough
Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Filling Preparation (Ground Beef)
Filling Preparation (Mozzarella Cheese)
- 8
Mix Cheese and Seasoning
In a bowl, mix shredded mozzarella cheese with oregano and black pepper. Set aside.
Assembling and Frying
- 9
Roll Out the Dough
Divide the dough into small balls. Roll out each ball on a floured surface into thin circles.
- 10
Add Filling
Place a spoonful of either the ground beef filling or mozzarella filling in the center of each dough circle.
- 11
Seal the Pastela
Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges with a fork to seal.
- 12
Heat the Oil
In a deep frying pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat until hot.
- 13
Fry the Pastela
Carefully add the pastelas to the hot oil in batches. Fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- 14
Drain and Serve
Remove pastelas from the oil and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.