From Argentina With Love

From the Archives: Pastelitos del 25 de Mayo

 

A couple of years back, I wrote about the tradition of serving pastelitos on the 25th of May.  In that post, I wrote about how my husband, Guillermo, went door-to-door in his little town, selling the puffy little pastries in a sort of rural-Argentina version of the Girl Scouts.   He was trying to raise money to go on a class trip.

Today I bring you the recipe (slightly updated) from the archives for pastelitos, along with a photo from the family archives of Guillermo (the blondie on the left) with his brother Marcos in these rockin' matching applique doggie pantsuits.  I estimate Guillermo to be around seven in this picture--would you have said 'no' if this adorable kid came to your door selling pastries? 

I would have bought two dozen--especially if he had been wearing this outfit!

Today, though the pantsuit is long gone, the tradition of eating pastelitos lives on.  They are simple to make, but they won't last long--the proof being that Guillermo stood around while I was making them asking "Which one is ugly?"

These 'ugly' ones being the rejects that would be styled out of the photo.  He knows he has to wait until 'the blog stuff' is done before he digs in.  Ugly or not--quince filled fried pastry?  Yes, please!

Here, in the photo below, are all the 'pretty' pastelitos.  The not so pretty (though just as tasty) ones are--like the pantsuits and the days of selling pastelitos--are but  a memory.

Next week, in honor of the Argentineans declaring independence (though it took a number of years to achieve it), why not whip up a dozen pastelitos and take your own trip down memory lane?

 

Pastelitos del 25 de mayo

Pastries For May 25th

These pastries are served on May 25, the Constitution Day in Argentina, though they are a popular treat at other times of the year, as well.  Serve as a snack or dessert, or for breakfast with cafe con leche.

1 package La Salteña tapas for Pastelitos, or 24 small squares of puff pastry (the size of square won-ton wrappers) or 24 won-ton wrappers (which don't have the same yummy puff-pastry effect, but get the job done!)

6 0z. quince paste (available at Whole Foods or at most Latin Markets, also called Dulce de Membrillo)

vegetable oil, for frying

small cup of water, for sealing the edges

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

sprinkles for cake decorating

Lay out several  tapas on the counter.  Cut the quince paste into small cubes, about 1/2 inch dice.  Place a square of quince paste in the center of each tapa.  Moisten the area around  the quince paste and also the edges around the square with water using your fingertip.  Take a second pastry square and place it over the first one, press lightly around the quince to create a seal and then around the edges of the square, sealing again.  Take the two diagonal corners over the index finger of each hand and meet them in the center, making a boat shape.  Repeat with the other two corners.  The result is all four corners neatly meeting in the center, much like a wonton.

Heat 3/4 inch of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Place four of the pastelitos  in, letting the oil bubble, for a couple of minutes each side, until the shell has turned golden brown.  Using tongs, turn the pastries until each side is equally golden.  Remove to a paper-towel lined plate.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the sugar and the water until the sugar has dissolved.  Raise the heat to high and bring the 'almibar' to a boil.  Let thicken slightly, but not brown.  Remove from heat.  Using a spoon, drizzle the syrup over the top of the pastelitos and then sprinkle with colored sprinkles.

A Taste of Argentina

 

I won't be able to attend this awesome event, hosted by the Argentinean Consulate General and the Casa Argentina de Colorado at the elegant Denver Athletic Club--but I hope you'll be there!

The event is FREE, and will have a selection of fabulous Argentinean wines to try, as well as empanadas from Maria Empanada. 

If you're able to attend, just RSVP to the email address above, so you'll be on the list, and join everyone in celebrating Argentina's wine, food and culture.

Salut!

Empanadas de Vigilia--Camaron Y Espinaca--Lenten Empanadas--Shrimp and Spinach

 

Empanadas de Vigilia are popular in Argentina around Easter--the time when those who observe Lent 'keep vigil' and abstain from the things they enjoy eating and drinking  the rest of the year.  Believers omit these things as a sacrifice, a nod to Christ's sacrifice of his life by crucifixion for our mortal sins--albiet a much smaller one.

Many people take part in the traditional Friday night 'fish-fry' meals held at their local churches here in the US, while in Argentina, cuaresma is a time to lighten up from the usual beef-heavy fare with more vegetarian and seafood oriented dishes.  Personally, I don't mind having an alternative to the meat--I prefer all the variety and flavor that goes along with being vegetarian, or close to it. 

Meatless or almost meatless varieties of empanadas are a delight--in the past I've published versions of my recipes for homemade Tuna and Red Pepper empanadas, Roquefort and Walnut empanadas, empanadas Margaritas (tomato, basil, mozzerella), and Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese empanadas.  Today's version is no exception to my favorite rule of Argentinean cooking:  simple, and made with the things you already have on hand.  Seriously, if you can think of it, you can stuff an empanada with it.  How's that as a cooking rule?

Today I used La Salteña's  'Redonditas' for these empanadas.   The label also reads 'Tapas para Copetin', in case you want to find them them near you.  They're just like the large (4-inch) version of the hojaldre (puff pastry) tapas I usually use, only these are tiny, appetizer-sized (3-inch) tapas.  They come in packs of 24 instead of 12--and since they're bite-sized, these would make the perfect snack, bite before a meal, or canape at an Argentinean-themed party.  I'm guessing you wouldn't even make it all the way around the room with a tray of these!  But then again, maybe it will be like the miraculous loaves and fishes, and you won't run out.  Springtime is a season of miracles, after all!

So whether you celebrate Lent,  are just opting for less meat and more variety in your diet, or need a little something to bring along to your next party--give these delicious seafood and veg empanadas a try!  I promise, you won't even know you're sacrificing a thing!

Facebook: Rebecca Caro or the From  Argentina With Love Group page.  Twitter: RebeccaCaro Email: rebeccatcaro@hotmail.com

 

Empanadas de Vigilia--Camaron Y Espinaca

Lenten Empanadas--Shrimp and Spinach

These would be great with chopped tomato or roasted red pepper added in, too.

Makes one dozen regular-sized empanadas, or 24 copetin-sized ones

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, diced very small

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup cooked, deveined shrimp, tails removed

3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 egg, separated

1 egg, hard-boiled and peeled

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

12 pre-made or homemade tapas or discos for empanadas, or 24 little ones--redonditas

1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Flour, for dusting.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease a baking sheet, or use a non-stick spray.  Hard-boil one egg, if you haven't already.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and the garlic to the skillet, and let cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.  Meanwhile, chop the shrimp into small pieces and add to the skillet.  Add the 3 cups of spinach leaves, and cook until wilted, stirring to incorporate.  Add in 1 egg yolk (reserve the white for brushing over the empanadas before baking), the milk, and the flour, and stir together.  Stir in the shredded mozzarella cheese.  You will have a melty cheese, shrimp and spinach mixture.

Peel the hard-boiled egg if you haven't already.  Lay out the tapas six at a time on a clean counter-top, lightly dusted with flour.  Put out a small glass of water for sealing the empanadas.  Place a heaping teaspoon (more if you're using the larger tapas) of the spinach and shrimp filling in the center of the empanada shell.  Add in a small slice of hard-boiled egg on top of the spinach mixture.

Moisten the edge on the top half of the shell with a little water on your finger. Fold the bottom half of the dough up until the edges meet and seal with your fingers by pressing down or pressing together. The empanada should have a half-moon shape.

Use the palms of the hands to pack the filling firmly in the center.  Next, fold the edges with the Repulgue: (Video clip) using your fingertip, fold one corner of the empanada over, pressing down firmly.  Go to the edge again and repeat, pressing firmly each time. Move around the edge of the empanada and you'll get a spiral pattern. You can also use a fork-seal, instead. 

Paint the top of each sealed empanada with the beaten egg so that when they bake, they have a shiny, golden shell. Place the finished empanadas on the baking sheets. Put the empanadas in to bake for 12 to 15 minutes-they should be golden brown on top. Take out and let cool slightly before serving, and eat very carefully while hot!

Buñuelos de Manzana --Apple Fritters

 

My appetite for books is as voracious as the one I have for food--there's nothing I love more than getting into a really good book.  My favorite stories are rich in sensory details--they bring me in with the sights, smells and tastes of the story.

Monica, friend and Uruguayan transplant, recommended The Invisible Mountain, by Carolina de Robertis(also an expat from Uruguay). De Robertis' first novel tells the story of three generations of women living in Montevideo at the turn of the twentieth century.  For me, the book has shades of Chilean author Isabelle Allende's work--a lyrical and engaging writing style, wrapping the highs and lows of the country's political and economic upheaval of the time around the characters' lives.

I couldn't put it down.  And the description of the ordinary, day-to-day things the characters did--eating and drinking--brought the story to life for me.  Two lovers meeting on a park bench and sharing a gourd of yerba mate, or eating fancy bizcocho pastry in an elegant salon gives so much presence to the story that I felt like I was in the room listening in on the conversation.

Likewise, in the humble barrio where most of the story takes place, there is a lot of buñuelo eating going on.  Buñuelos are fritters--fried dough balls with something added in; a sweet like apple or quince paste, or a savory--chard or seafood.  Fritters have a long history in the American South, as well as in South America--but the recipes do vary slightly.  It's likely that the snack has its origins in Spain, but fried dough is on the menu of almost every cuisine in the world, and each culture adds its own flavor variation.

Buñuelos are the type of snack shared with family or intimate friends over a coffee or a mate--good problem-solving food.  It's not fancy company food, and it's not expensive.  It's simple, homemade fare--total comfort food--that can be made, as so many recipes I adore--with the ingredients you already have on hand.  LIkewise, they can be adapted, a little of this and a little of that--no need to run out for a single ingredient; just change it up.  (Don't have apple?  Use banana instead.)

With these apple buñuelos, the apple is shredded, though I found recipes using apples sliced in rounds and battered, or cut in small pieces and mixed in.  The shredded version is light, airy, and only vaguely sweet and appley--though I bet the other versions are just as tasty. 

Invite a friend over, share a mate and some buñuelos and enjoy some good conversation.  Ina book club?  Make The Invisible Mountain one of your selections, and bring a plate of buñuelos to share while you talk about it.  Both the book and the fritters are something you'll enjoy sinking your teeth into. 

 

Buñuelos de Manzana

Apple Fritters

This is a very basic recipe.  It can be adapted as needed for savory (take out one tablespoon of the sugar) or sweet--you can also add more sugar to taste.  Add in whichever filling you like--from banana to quince, some are even filled with pastry cream--the basic batter is very versatile.

Serves four to six (depending on how many disappear into each belly!)

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons oil

2 Granny Smith apples (or any variety you like) peeled, cored and grated

2-3 cups neutral oil (like canola or vegetable) for frying

confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and two tablespoons oil.  Mix together well, there should be no lumps in the batter.  Stir in the shredded apple until well incorporated.

Meanwhile, heat the 2 cups oil over medium heat.  During the course of the frying, I had to replenish the oil twice during the frying process, reheating the oil each time.  When the oil is hot enough for frying--you can test the heat by dropping a little of the batter into the oil--it should sizzle.

Using a tablespoon or small scoop or ladle, drop some of the batter into the oil, about three or four fritters at a time.  Fry until golden on one side, about two minutes or so.  Flip the fritters and fry on the other side until that side is also golden brown.  The oil needs to eb hot enough for frying, but not so hot that the outside of the fritter gets too brown or fried without the center being cooked.

Remove the cooked fritters with a slotted spoon or spatula to a paper-towel lined plate.  Let cool, then dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.  Serve with coffee or yerba mate.

Turrón de Avena--Chocolate Oatmeal Wafer Bars

 

 As I've mentioned in previous posts, one of the best things about this blog is the emails I get from readers requesting recipes--I hope that From Argentina With Love is a reference point for those folks who have married into it (as I have), who have traveled to Argentina and fallen in love with it,  for those readers who are the descendants of immigrants from Argentina, and even those who are expats, themselves! 

Not long ago I got just such an email from Alex, requesting a recipe "I used to have as a child when I went to my grandmother's house, but she has passed away and my father (and his family) have no trace of a recipe for it. "