• Begin with making the achiote (annatto) oil and meat filling for the pasteles. Follow our achiote oil recipe and either our pork or chicken recipe for the filling.

For the Masa

• Using a knife, cut the stem ends off of each banana. Carefully make a slit in the front and back of each banana. Add the bananas to a large mixing bowl or pot and top with hot water. Allow them to soak in the water to help soften the peels while you work with the other vegetables.
• Using a potato peeler or knife, peel the skin off the yautia and pumpkin.

  Cut them into large chunks and set aside.
• Peel the bananas and leave them whole. Add the bananas and all other vegetables to a large bowl and cover them with enough cold water to cover them.

  Note: Keeping the vegetables in water will prevent them from oxidizing and turning brown.
• Use a food processor with the grater attachment to grate the bananas and vegetables or alternatively use a box grater.

  Grate all the bananas and vegetables.
• You will notice some large chunks left behind on top of the grater attachment that weren't grated. Set these aside and pour the masa into a large bowl or large baking tin.
• Once you have grated all the vegetables, remove the grater attachment and replace it with the metal blade attachment. Add all the large chunks left behind with about a cup of the masa and puree for 30 seconds.
• Use a large spoon to stir the masa and combine well. The masa should be light, and airy.
• Add about ½ cup of the achiote (annatto) oil and about two cups of the pork broth to the masa. Using a large spoon slowly stir and start to blend in the oil and the broth into the masa to combine well.
• Add about 3 teaspoons of adobo to the masa and stir.

  Taste a small amount of the masa to check for salt, add more adobo or salt if needed.

  Note: Do not add too much adobo or salt as the pasteles cook in salted water.

Making the Masa

• Add about ½ cup of the achiote (annatto) oil and about two cups of the pork broth to the masa. Using a large spoon slowly stir and start to blend in the oil and the broth into the masa to combine well.
• Add about 3 teaspoons of adobo to the masa and stir.

  Taste a small amount of the masa to check for salt, add more adobo or salt if needed. Set the masa aside until ready to use.

  Note: Do not add too much adobo or salt as the pasteles cook in salted water.

Cut Prepare the Banana Leaves, Paper and Twine

• Cut 20 pieces of the twine so that each piece measures 40 inches. Set aside.
• If using parchment paper instead of pasteles paper, cut 20 sheets to measure 18-inch by 12-inch rectangles.
• Cut the banana leaves to measure 7 ½ inches by 6 ½ to 7 ½ inches.
• Using scissors, cut the rough rib or edge off.

Frozen Banana Leaves

• Add the cut leaves to a bowl with warm soapy water, swirl the leaves with your hand and then rinse each leaf individually under warm water. Wipe both sides of the leaves with a clean damp kitchen towel or paper towels.

Fresh Banana Leaves

• Rinse the cut leaves under warm water. Wipe both sides of the leaves with a clean damp kitchen towel or paper towels. Using a pair of tongs, pass the leaves one at a time on both sides over your gas stove’s high flame for a few seconds. The leaves will start to wilt, this is normal. Set aside.

Set Up Your Workstation

• Set up your workstation to include the pasteles paper (or parchment paper), butcher's twine, banana leaves, masa, pork or chicken filling, bowl of chickpeas, olives, pimiento strips and achiote oil.

Assembling the Pasteles

• Lay a banana leaf in the center of the pasteles (parchment) paper and spread a teaspoon of the achiote oil or a teaspoon of the pork broth to the center of the leaf.
• Scoop ½ cup of the masa to the center of the leaf and spread it into an oval. Fill the masa with about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pork filling. Top the meat with two or three chickpeas, two or three olives and two to three pimiento strips.

Wrapping the Pasteles

• Fold the bottom of the paper over so that the ends meet. Using your hand, tuck the filling snuggly into the center. Make a 1-inch fold at the top of the parchment paper and then fold over the pastel.
• Flatten out the sides, one side at a time (flaps) well and then tuck under the pastel.
• Repeat the process with the other side and then tuck the side under again.

  Repeat the entire process and make the other pasteles. Once you have all the pasteles formed and wrapped, proceed to stack them into bundles.

Preparing Pasteles Bundle

• Stack two pasteles on top of each other with the folded (tucked) ends touching each other to create a bundle, (also known as a yunta in Spanish).

Tying Pasteles

• Grab a cut piece of the twine and place it under the bundle, cross the strings, flip over and cross the string over.

  Flip over again and loop over again on one side of the pastel.

  *Refer to post images for additional help.
• Repeat the process on the other end and tie the bundle.

How to Cook and Serve Pasteles

• Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the pasteles. Bring it to a boil, then sprinkle approximately a teaspoon of salt (or a bit more) into the water. Add the desired quantity of pasteles to cook.
• Cook for an hour. Remove pasteles from the pot, draining excess water. Place on a cutting board or serving plate, and cut the strings using scissors or a knife.
• Carefully spread open the sides (flaps) and cut each flap with scissors.

  Carefully open the parchment paper to reveal the pastel and serve. Top with hot sauce or ketchup if desired.