Go Back
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Pastelitos de Carne

My family never made these they always bought them at bakeries. So this is not a family recipe. However, I still wanted to make these as authentic as possible. By authentic I just mean the way they tasted at Cuban bakeries 20 years ago. I apologize in advance if this isn't your Cuban grandmother's recipe.
I season the beef with some oregano, cumin, cinnamon, dry white wine, tomato sauce, etc. I threw in some olives and raisins and I mean it doesn't get any better than that. Most of the Cuban pastelitos I had as a kid contained olives and raisins and a sweet crust.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Author: Julie Maestre

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 small onion
  • 1/2 green bell pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp sazon
  • 1/4 cup Spanish olives
  • 3 tbsp raisins
  • salt and pepper to taste

Simple Syrup

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Egg Wash

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp water

Puff Pastry

  • 1 package puff pastry

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet with vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
  • Crumble the beef into the skillet and cook until completely brown, tRemove the beef from the skillet and drain the excess fat.
  • Add the onions and peppers to the skillet and cook until translucent.
  • Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
  • Add the tomato sauce, bay leaf, oregano, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Place the beef back into the skillet along with some tomato paste and dry white wine.
  • Add the cumin, cinnamon, granulated garlic, and sazon.
  • Add the raisins and olives, cover and cook for 15 minutes over low heat.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • To prepare the simple syrup, add the sugar and water into a small pot and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until the sugar dissolves.
  • Let the simple syrup cool completely.
  • Roll each sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface.
  • Cut each sheet into 9 pieces using a biscuit cutter or the rim of a drinking glass.
  • Add about a tablespoon of the beef mixture into the center of each one.
  • Brush all the edges with the egg wash and use another puff pastry piece to cover.
  • Pinch the edges together and place on a baking sheet.
  • Brush the tops with egg wash, poke a couple holes with a toothpick, and bake for 20-25 minutes.
  • Brush the warm pastelists with the simple syrup, let it the pastelists cool, and enjoy!