Pasteles en Hoja [Recipe + Video] Dominican Plantain Pockets
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
136 kcal
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Cuisine
South American, Caribbean, Dominican
Pasteles en Hoja [Recipe + Video] Dominican Plantain Pockets
Description
The batter combines grated unripe plantain, yautia (malanga), and kabocha squash with seasoning powder, milk, butter, salt, and annatto powder for color. The mixture is grated or pureed until uniform with a sandy texture. Portions of the batter are spread onto banana leaf squares, topped with fillings, then folded and wrapped securely with parchment paper and twine.
The wrapped pasteles are boiled in salted water until cooked through, developing a firm yet tender consistency. They can be served with optional condiments like ketchup or hot sauce. The wrapping with both banana leaves and parchment paper locks in moisture and protects the pastel during boiling while preserving color and flavor.
Weighing plantains ensures consistent batter texture, and cutting banana leaves into 5 inch squares helps with uniform wrapping. Using parchment paper along with banana leaves provides better waterproofing. The filling and batter portions can be adjusted based on preference, but the technique of wrapping and boiling remains the same.
Ingredients
Filling
- filling (see list above recipe)
For the batter
- 1 plantain or 1½ medium plantain (½ lb [227 g] once peeled, see notes, green, unripe
- ⅓ pound yautia 151 g] peeled, aka malanga
- ⅓ pound kabocha squash 151 g] peeled, aka auyama
- 1 tablespoon seasoning powder (must contain garlic and onion)
- 1 cup whole milk 237 ml, or skim milk
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon butter 28 g, salted
- 1 tablespoon annatto powder aka bija, achiote
For wrapping
- 12 banana leaves see notes, squares
- 12 Leafs parchment paper (Amazon affiliate link - see notes)
- Twine (the kind of string used for food)
For boiling
- salt
For garnishing
- ketchup (optional, see notes)
- hot sauce (optional, see notes)
Instructions
1. 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.Or with blender/food processor: Chop the plantain, yautía, and auyama, and combine them 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.
2. Wrapping pasteles
- 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.
3. Boiling pasteles en hoja
- 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 them 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 liquid, unwrap, and check for doneness: the consistency of the batter will have changed throughout.
4. Serving
- If it's ready, remove all from the water, otherwise boil for another 10 minutes.Serve right after unwrapping, garnished with hot sauce and/or ketchup.
Notes
- Weigh plantains for consistent batter texture as sizes vary.
- Cut banana leaves into 5" x 5" squares for uniform pastel sizes.
- Wrap pasteles in both banana leaves and parchment paper for moisture retention and color preservation.
- Ensure twine is tied tightly to prevent leaking during boiling.
- Nutritional information covers batter only; filling varies by choice.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 136 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 2pasteles | |
| Calories | 136kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 14mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 638mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 471mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 928IU | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 10mg | 11% |
| Calcium | 68mg | 7% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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