Delicate fried pastries filled with quince paste or sweet potato paste, made with layered puff pastry dough and drizzled with sugar syrup. Traditional treat for national holidays.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Instructions
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1
Roll out the puff pastry sheets thinly. Cut into squares of about eight centimeters. Place a piece of quince paste or sweet potato paste in the center of each square.
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2
Fold each square into a triangle or rectangle, pressing the edges firmly with a fork to seal. Ensure no filling leaks out.
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3
Heat oil to 180C in a deep fryer or heavy pot. Fry the pastelitos in batches, turning once, for about three to four minutes until puffed, golden, and flaky.
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4
While the pastelitos fry, prepare the syrup by boiling sugar and water together until slightly thickened, about five minutes. Add lemon juice.
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5
Drain the fried pastelitos on paper towels, then immediately drizzle or dip them in the warm sugar syrup. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Did You Know?
Pastelitos are so tied to Argentine patriotism that during the May Revolution of 1810, street vendors sold them outside the Buenos Aires Cabildo while citizens gathered to hear revolutionary announcements.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- deep fryer or heavy pot
- rolling pin
- pastry cutter
- slotted spoon
The Story Behind Pastelitos
Pastelitos criollos are among the oldest pastries in Argentine tradition, dating to the colonial era when Spanish baking techniques combined with local ingredients like quince and sweet potato pastes. These fried pastries became intimately associated with Argentine patriotism after being sold on the streets during the May Revolution of 1810. Today they remain an obligatory treat on national holidays, particularly May 25th and July 9th, when street vendors and home cooks prepare them by the hundreds. Each province has slight variations in shape and filling.
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