This is a traditional holiday family meal. This recipe has been in our family for years. It is a Puerto Rican dish. It is customary to make this and give them away to all the people you love.
Preparation Time
55 mins
Cooking Time
1 hr 23 mins
Total Time
2 hr 18 mins
Calories
417 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Combine yuca, green plantains, yautia, and milk in a blender; puree into a thick paste the consistency of oatmeal.
Step 2
Combine lard and achiote seeds in a saucepan over medium-low heat; heat until lard is melted, and reddish in color, about 5 minutes. Strain out achiote seeds. Mix half of the lard into the yuca paste.
Step 3
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and green bell pepper; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Add pork, ham, garbanzo beans, tomato sauce, olives, capers, orange juice, cilantro, oregano, salt, and garlic; cook and stir until pork is no longer pink in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 4
Mix 2/3 of the remaining lard into the pork mixture.
Step 5
Smear each plantain leaf with a small amount of remaining lard. Place a large spoonful of the yuca paste in the center of each one; top with a scoop of the pork mixture. Fold up the sides of each leaf to enclose the filling and create a rectangular pastel.
Step 6
Stack 2 pasteles and tie them together with kitchen string. Repeat with remaining pasteles.
Step 7
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasteles. Cook until filling is tender, about 1 hour. Unwrap pasteles before serving.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon salt
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil, or to taste
4 sprigs cilantro, chopped
1 (4 ounce) jar capers
2 pounds yuca, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 pounds green plantains, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 pounds yautia, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 pound achiote seeds
2 pounds pork shoulder roast, cut into small cubes
