Pastel

Name: Pastel
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: Dough: 500g all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tbsp cachaça or vodka; 1 tsp salt; 200ml warm water; Cheese filling: 300g mozzarella, shredded; Beef filling: 300g ground beef; 1 onion, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tomato, diced; Salt, pepper, cumin; Hearts of palm filling: 1 can hearts of palm, chopped; 100g cream cheese; Vegetable oil for deep frying

Pastel (pahs-TEHL)

Brazilian Fried Pastry

⏱ Prep Time 1 hour

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 322 kcal

Paper-thin, blistered pastry shells deep-fried until impossibly crispy and light, stuffed with molten cheese, seasoned ground beef, or hearts of palm — the king of Brazilian street food.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 12.0g

Carbs 28.0g

Fat 18.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ gluten ⚠ eggs

Equipment Needed

rolling pin deep fryer or heavy pot fork for sealing

Presentation Guide

Vessel: paper-lined tray

Garnishes: hot sauce

Accompaniments: caldo de cana (sugarcane juice), cold beer

Ingredients

Dough: 500g all-purpose flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp cachaça or vodka
1 tsp salt
200ml warm water
Cheese filling: 300g mozzarella, shredded
Beef filling: 300g ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, diced
Salt, pepper, cumin
Hearts of palm filling: 1 can hearts of palm, chopped
100g cream cheese
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Instructions

1
Make dough: mix flour, salt, oil, cachaça, and warm water. Knead until smooth and elastic. Rest 30 minutes covered.
2
Prepare fillings: for beef, sauté onion, garlic, and beef until browned, add tomato and seasonings. For cheese, simply shred. For hearts of palm, mix with cream cheese.
3
Roll dough very thin on a floured surface — it should be almost translucent.
4
Cut into rectangles about 12x15cm. Place filling on one half, leaving borders.
5
Fold dough over filling, press edges firmly, and seal with a fork. Ensure no air is trapped inside.
6
Heat oil to 190°C. Fry pastéis in batches until puffed and deeply golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes.
7
Drain briefly on paper towels and serve immediately with hot sauce. They must be eaten hot.

💡

Did You Know?

Pastel was invented by Japanese immigrants in São Paulo who adapted Chinese spring roll wrappers during World War II, making it one of Brazil's most delicious examples of immigrant culinary innovation.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

rolling pin
deep fryer or heavy pot
fork for sealing

Garnishing

hot sauce

Accompaniments

caldo de cana (sugarcane juice), cold beer

The Story Behind Pastel

The pastel's origin story is one of wartime ingenuity — Japanese immigrants in São Paulo, facing anti-Japanese sentiment during WWII, opened pastelarias disguised as Chinese restaurants. They adapted spring roll dough into the large, crispy pastries we know today. Pastéis became inseparable from Brazilian feiras (open-air markets), where pastelarias are the most popular stalls every Saturday morning.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed street markets (feiras), anytime snack 📜 Origins: Japanese-Brazilian adaptation, 20th century

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