I don’t know why it took me this long to share a recipe for Brazilian Pastel here on the blog! I’m crazy about them and can eat the whole batch by myself. (Well, maybe that’s why…) If you’ve ever been to Brazil, you know we adore our pastel. You will find it at the feira (our farmer’s market), the pastelaria (shops that sell only pastel), beach kiosks and at bars. I have never met a Brazilian who doesn’t indulge in these bad boys every now and then. And they go great with either a glass of cold beer or with sweet caldo de cana (freshly pressed sugar cane juice). Sweet and savory filling options are abundant, but I decided to share three of the most popular ones: beef, creamy hearts of palm and cheese. And you will want to try them all!
What is pastel?
It is deep fried dough filled with assorted fillings. Similar to an empanada? Yes, but not the same. Much crispier and much better! Sorry, hermanos. I confess I was a little intimidated before I actually got around to finally make them myself. I thought there was no way something so spectacular could be made at home. But it can! And it tastes just like the ones I used to get at the feira!
The dough is very foolproof and easy to handle. It consists of a handful of ingredients: flour, salt, water, oil, vinegar and cachaça. Yep, you heard it right! Cachaça is the secret ingredient that makes this dough so perfectly light and crunchy. I highly recommend you don’t skip it! It is just a little bit and the alcohol will cook out during frying at high temperatures, so it’s safe to feed the kids. It is also vital to knead the dough until it is smooth and not sticking to the counter and/or hands. That way, you can be sure you will be able to roll it paper thin so your pastéis (that’s the plural of pastel) come out as crunchy as they can be! If you don’t have time to make the dough, you can take a shortcut and use store bought empanada dough or wonton wraps. It won’t be the same, but still delicious!
A brief history of Pastel
There are two main hypothesis of how this iconic street food was invented. The first one believes that it was the Chinese immigrants who adapted their egg rolls to Brazilian ingredients, creating what is now the Brazilian pastel. The other claims that it was actually the Japanese who came up with it, inspired by their gyoza. Whichever version you choose to believe, we can’t deny that it was the Japanese immigrants that actually got the pastel to be so popular. Fleeing Japan after the World War 2, they opened their own pastelarias (establishments that were thus far typically Chinese), to disguise their nationality and escape the prejudice post war.
Filling options
As I mentioned earlier, the options are endless. Other than the classics that I am sharing today, some very popular finds are: chicken and catupiry (a soft cheese, similar to cream cheese), pizza (cheese, tomato and oregano), bacalhau (cod), carne seca (dry beef), shrimp, guava and cheese, dulce de leche, among many others. There’s even pastel de vento (which translates to “pastel filled with air”), when it’s just the fried dough and no fillings. But we usually use this term to criticize an establishment, when they don’t fill the pastel enough, leaving a lot of empty space. You will also find gourmet versions, like four cheese, feijoada, stroganoff, octopus, artichoke and brie, brigadeiro and Nutella. Bars are always coming up with fun flavors! Always served with hot sauce on the side! Pretty much anything can be made into a pastel. It is a great way to use leftovers that are sitting in your fridge.
Can I freeze Brazilian Pastel?
In my humble opinion, pastel is always better fresh. However, you can freeze them (for up to 3 months) after assembling. Just set them on a baking sheet, over parchment paper, and cover with plastic. After they are frozen, you can transfer them to a ziplock bag. When ready to serve, simply deep fry the frozen pastéis straight from the freezer! Just be careful that the oil is not too hot or they will burn on the outside while still frozen inside.
And that’s it, friends. You’ve been asking me for more Brazilian recipes and I’m working on them. A batch of Brazilian pastel is always a great call, but especially amazing to serve when watching sports (like the World Cup final this weekend) or having friends over for drinks. It’s a great snack for the kids too. I hope you give it a try and enjoy it as much as we do!
To make Brazilian Pastel, I recommend:
