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.
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
1Make dough: mix flour, salt, oil, cachaça, and warm water. Knead until smooth and elastic. Rest 30 minutes covered.
2Prepare 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.
3Roll dough very thin on a floured surface — it should be almost translucent.
4Cut into rectangles about 12x15cm. Place filling on one half, leaving borders.
5Fold dough over filling, press edges firmly, and seal with a fork. Ensure no air is trapped inside.
6Heat oil to 190°C. Fry pastéis in batches until puffed and deeply golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes.
7Drain 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.