Pastel (food)

Last updated

Pastel is the Spanish and Portuguese word for pastry, a sugary food, and is the name given to different typical dishes of various countries where those languages are spoken. In Mexico, pastel typically means cake , as with Pastel de tres leches . However, in different Latin American countries pastel can refer to very different sugary dishes, and even to non-sugary ones as well. In some places, like Brazil, a pastel can refer to both a sugary and non-sugary food, depending on the filling used.

Contents

Brazil

A Brazilian cheese pastel made in Sao Paulo Brazilian pastel.jpg
A Brazilian cheese pastel made in São Paulo

In Brazil, pastel (plural: pastéis) is a typical street-food Brazilian dish consisting of half-circle or rectangle-shaped thin-crust pies with assorted sweet fillings and fried in vegetable oil. The result is a crispy, brownish-fried pie. Some of the sweet fillings are guava paste with Minas cheese. Banana and chocolate also exist. The pastel is classified in Brazilian cuisine as a salgado (savoury snack). It is traditionally sold on the streets, in open-air marketplaces, or in shops known as pastelarias. Popular folklore states that Brazilian Pastels originated when Japanese immigrants adapted Chinese fried Spring rolls to sell as snacks at weekly street markets. A common beverage to drink with pastéis is caldo de cana, a sugarcane juice. Pastéis can also consist of non-sweet fillings, such as ground meat, mozzarella, catupiry, the heart of palm, codfish, cream cheese, chicken, and small shrimp. [1] [2]

Mexico

A decorated slice of Pastel de tres leches TresLeche.JPG
A decorated slice of Pastel de tres leches

In Mexico, pastel typically means cake , as in the dessert called Pastel de tres leches . Pastel de tres leches is also served in other Latin American countries, such as Nicaragua, Panama, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, but the word used to describe it may or may not be "pastel". In Puerto Rico, for example, the same food as the one in Mexico is called Bizcocho de tres leches. [3]

Portugal

A pastel in Portugal may refer to several types of desserts or hors d'œuvres. These include the pastel de bacalhau and the pastel de nata .

Greece and Cyprus

A dish under a similar name in Greek ("παστέλι") is a sesame seed candy type of dish. [4]

Non sugary foods

The word "pastel" (or, its plural "pasteles") is used in some Spanish-speaking countries to refer to a starchy, non-sugary food.

Brazil

In Brazil, the pastel is also made in a non-sugary variety, as it can also be made with sweet fillings, such as guava paste with Minas cheese, or banana and chocolate. It is traditionally sold on the streets, in open-air marketplaces, or in fast-food shops known as pastelarias. A common beverage to drink with pastéis is caldo de cana, a sugarcane juice.

Indonesia

Indonesian pastel Pastel isi sayur daging.JPG
Indonesian pastel

In Indonesia, pastel refers to a pie of crust made of thin pastry filled with meat (usually chicken) mixed with vegetables (chopped carrot and beans), rice vermicelli, and sometimes egg, then deep fried in vegetable oil. It is consumed as a snack and commonly sold in Indonesian traditional markets. [5] The similar Manadonese version replaces thin flour pie crust with bread and filled with spicy cakalang (skipjack tuna) is called panada.

Philippines

In the Philippines, pastel may refer to any (usually chicken or meat) casserole dish baked in a pie crust. Among Muslim Filipinos, pastel is an alternative spelling of pastil, which refer to two different dishes. Pastil (also spelled patil, patel, or patir) among the Danao-speaking peoples refers to white rice and meat wrapped in a banana leaf; while pastil among the Tausug people refers to a nativized version of the empanada . In the province of Camiguin, however, it refers specifically to pastel de Camiguín , a soft, sweet-filled bun.

Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, where the word is generally used in its plural form ( pasteles ), it is a dish that includes diced pork (or chicken) with olives, raisins, chickpeas, and sweet bell peppers. This mixture is centered in dough made mainly of green bananas with a small portion of green plantain, roots ("yautía"), pumpkin, coconut milk, and potato. The dough is tinted with annatto oil. (Cassava or yucca "pasteles" dough only has yucca, coconut milk, and annatto oil in the mix.) Each "pastel" is wrapped in plantain leaf, tied in pairs with a string (the pair is called a "yunta"), boiled, and then unwrapped and served, typically with yellow rice with pigeon peas. The overall effect is very similar to Mexican and Peruvian tamales, but with a very different flavor since this dough is not corn-based. This is not a pastry by any means. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pie</span> Baked, filled pastry

A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients. Sweet pies may be filled with fruit, nuts, fruit preserves, brown sugar, sweetened vegetables, or with thicker fillings based on eggs and dairy. Savoury pies may be filled with meat, eggs and cheese or a mixture of meat and vegetables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empanada</span> Baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling

An empanada is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling, common in Spain, other Southern European countries, Latin American countries, and the Philippines. The name comes from the Spanish empanar, and translates as 'breaded', that is, wrapped or coated in bread. They are made by folding dough over a filling, which may consist of meat, cheese, tomato, corn, or other ingredients, and then cooking the resulting turnover, either by baking or frying.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samosa</span> Fried or baked pastry with a savoury filling

A samosa is a fried South Asian pastry with a savoury filling, including ingredients such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, meat, or fish. It is made into different shapes, including triangular, cone, or crescent, depending on the region. Samosas are often accompanied by chutney, and have origins in medieval times or earlier. Sweet versions are also made. Samosas are a popular entrée, appetizer, or snack in the cuisines of South Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, East Africa and their South Asian diasporas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curry puff</span> Pastry with curry filling

A curry puff is a snack of Southeast Asian origin. It is a small pie consisting of curry with chicken and potatoes in a deep-fried or baked pastry shell. The consistency of the curry is quite thick to prevent it from oozing out of the snack. Pap or puff reflects the Fujian Chinese dialect 泡 ('pop'), which means 'bubble, blister, puffed'. It is a truly Southeast Asian snack as it has Indian, Chinese or Malay elements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colombian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Colombia

Colombian cuisine is a compound of the culinary traditions of the six main regions within Colombia. Colombian cuisine varies regionally and is particularly influenced by Indigenous Colombian, Spanish, and African cuisines, with slight Arab influence in some regions. As one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, Colombia has one of the widest varieties of available ingredients depending on the region.

Green bananas are unripe bananas used in cuisines worldwide. They have a firmer texture and a starchy, mildly astringent taste compared to their ripe counterparts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Picadillo</span> Ground meat and tomato dish popular in Latin America and the Philippines

Picadillo is a traditional dish in many Latin American countries including Mexico and Cuba, as well as the Philippines. It is made with ground meat, tomatoes, and also raisins, olives, and other ingredients that vary by region. The name comes from the Spanish word picar, meaning "to mince".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kue</span> Southeast Asian bite-sized snack or dessert

Kue is a Southeast Asian bite-sized snack or dessert, especially in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Kue or kuih are fairly broad terms in the Malay archipelago to describe a wide variety of snacks including cakes, cookies, fritters, pies, scones, and patisserie. Kue are made from a variety of ingredients in various forms; some are steamed, fried or baked. They are popular snacks in the Malay archipelago, which has the largest variety of kue. Because of the archipelago's historical colonial ties, Koeé (kue) is also popular in the Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pasteles</span> Caribbean and Latin American dish

Pasteles, also pastelles in the English-speaking Caribbean, are a traditional dish in several Latin American and Caribbean countries. In Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean coast of Colombia, the dish looks like a tamal. In Hawaii, they are called pateles in a phonetic rendering of the Puerto Rican pronunciation of pasteles, as discussed below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meat pie</span> Pie with meat filling

A meat pie is a pie with a filling of meat and often with other savory ingredients. They are found in cuisines worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uruguayan cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Uruguay

Uruguayan cuisine is a fusion of cuisines from several European countries, especially of Mediterranean foods from Spain, Italy, Portugal and France. Other influences on the cuisine resulted from immigration from countries such as Germany and Scotland. Uruguayan gastronomy is a result of immigration, rather than local Amerindian cuisine, because of late-19th and early 20th century immigration waves of, mostly, Italians. Spanish influences are abundant: desserts like churros, flan, ensaimadas yoo (Catalan sweet bread), and alfajores were all brought from Spain. There are also all kinds of stews known as guisos or estofados, arroces, and fabada. All of the guisos and traditional pucheros (stews) are also of Spanish origin. Uruguayan preparations of fish, such as dried salt cod (bacalao), calamari, and octopus, originate from the Basque and Galician regions, and also Portugal. Due to its strong Italian tradition, all of the famous Italian pasta dishes are present in Uruguay including ravioli, lasagne, tortellini, fettuccine, and the traditional gnocchi. Although the pasta can be served with many sauces, there is one special sauce that was created by Uruguayans. Caruso sauce is a pasta sauce made from double cream, meat, onions, ham and mushrooms. It is very popular with sorrentinos and agnolotti. Additionally, there is Germanic influence in Uruguayan cuisine as well, particularly in sweet dishes. The pastries known as bizcochos are Germanic in origin: croissants, known as medialunas, are the most popular of these, and can be found in two varieties: butter- and lard-based. Also German in origin are the Berlinese known as bolas de fraile, and the rolls called piononos. The facturas were re-christened with local names given the difficult German phonology, and usually Uruguayanized by the addition of a dulce de leche filling. Even dishes like chucrut (sauerkraut) have also made it into mainstream Uruguayan dishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassava-based dishes</span> Foods prepared with cassava

A great variety of cassava-based dishes are consumed in the regions where cassava is cultivated, and the ingredient is included many national or ethnic specialities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regional street food</span>

Regional street food is street food that has commonalities within a region or culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumpling</span> Food that consists of small pieces of dough

Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of cooked dough, often wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, wheat or other flours, or potatoes, and it may be filled with meat, fish, tofu, cheese, vegetables, or a combination. Dumplings may be prepared using a variety of cooking methods and are found in many world cuisines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indo cuisine</span> Fusion of Indonesian and European cuisine

Indo cuisine is a fusion cooking and cuisine tradition, mainly existing in Indonesia and the Netherlands, as well as Belgium, South Africa and Suriname. This cuisine characterized of fusion cuisine that consists of original Indonesian cuisine with Eurasian-influences—mainly Dutch, also Portuguese, Spanish, French and British—and vice versa. Nowaday, not only Indo people consume Indo cuisine, but also Indonesians and Dutch people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pastel (Brazilian food)</span> Brazilian snack food

A pastel (pl. pastéis) is a typical Brazilian fast-food dish, consisting of half-circle or rectangle-shaped thin crust pies with assorted fillings, fried in vegetable oil. The result is a crispy, brownish fried pie. The most common fillings are ground meat, mozzarella, catupiry, heart of palm, codfish, cream cheese, chicken and small shrimp. Pastéis with sweet fillings such as guava paste with Minas cheese, banana and chocolate also exist. The pastel is classified in Brazilian cuisine as a salgado. It is traditionally sold on the streets, in open-air marketplaces, or in fast-food shops known as pastelarias. It is popularly said to have originated when Chinese immigrants adapted their traditional spring rolls to the Brazilian taste using local ingredients. The recipe was later popularized by Japanese immigrants that during World War II tried to pretend to be Chinese to escape from the prejudice Japanese people were facing because of the Japanese alliance during the war. Another theory was that Japanese immigrants adapted Chinese fried wontons to sell as snacks at weekly street markets. A common beverage to drink with pastéis is caldo de cana, a sugarcane juice.

References

  1. Lira, Adriano (2016-01-20). "Conheça a história do pastel e aprenda receitas". Casa e Jardim. Retrieved 2018-04-18.
  2. "A história do pastel do Beto". Correio Braziliense. 2015-07-06. Retrieved 2018-04-18.
  3. Got Milk? On the trail of pastel de tres leches. MM Pack. Austin Chronicle. 13 February 2004. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  4. Σοφιάδου, Ελευθερία Χ., Η διατροφή των βυζαντινών μέσα από τα κείμενα και την τέχνη Archived 2019-08-28 at the Wayback Machine , σελ. 35, Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλίας. Σχολή Ανθρωπιστικών και Κοινωνικών Επιστημών. Τμήμα Ιστορίας Αρχαιολογίας και Κοινωνικής Ανθρωπολογίας, 2013
  5. "Benhil Market, "Takjil" Heaven". Tempo.co. 13 July 2013.
  6. Pasteles de yuca. Meseydi Rivera. thenoshery.com 14 December 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2021.

whatafood.ca dailyhive vancouverisawesome