Pastelitos — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Crispy, flaky turnovers filled with seasoned ground beef and vegetables, fried until golden and served as a beloved street food snack.

Ingredients

1 Make dough by mixing flour and salt, cutting in cold butter until crumbly. Add ice water and vinegar, mix until dough comes together. Wrap and refrigerate thirty minutes.
2 Brown ground beef with onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Add tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook until liquid evaporates and filling is thick. Cool completely.
3 Roll dough thin on a floured surface. Cut into circles about twelve centimeters in diameter.
4 Place a spoonful of filling on one half of each circle. Fold over and press edges firmly with a fork to seal.
5 Heat oil to 175C. Fry pastelitos in batches until golden brown and crispy, about three minutes per side.
6 Drain on paper towels and serve hot. They are best eaten within minutes of frying.

Did You Know?

In Santo Domingo, there are pastelito vendors on nearly every street corner, and locals have fierce loyalty to their favorite vendor.