Pastelitos de Carne — Print Recipe

Crispy deep-fried turnovers filled with seasoned ground beef, rice, and vegetables, wrapped in a thin corn-flour dough. Served with curtido and hot sauce.

Ingredients

2 cups masa harina
1 cup all-purpose flour
300g ground beef
1/2 cup cooked rice
1 potato, diced small and parboiled
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp achiote paste
2 cups warm water
Vegetable oil for frying
Salt and pepper

Instructions

1 Mix masa harina, flour, salt, and warm water to form a smooth, pliable dough. Rest for fifteen minutes covered with a damp cloth.
2 Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Add achiote paste dissolved in a tablespoon of water, then stir in rice and potato. Season and cool.
3 Roll dough into thin circles about twelve centimeters across. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each.
4 Fold dough over to create a half-moon shape, pressing edges firmly to seal. Crimp with a fork to ensure they stay closed during frying.
5 Deep fry in hot oil at 180C until golden and crispy, about four minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels.
6 Serve hot with curtido cabbage slaw and your preferred hot sauce.

Did You Know?

Pastelitos are so important to Honduran culture that they are the most commonly sold item at school fundraisers and church events across the country.