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How to Make Pasteles with Yuca and Plantains - A Step-by-Step Guide

If you're looking to add a traditional Latin American dish to your cooking repertoire, look no further than pasteles with yuca and plantains. This delicious and hearty dish is a staple in many Latin American countries, including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. It's a perfect option for a special occasion or simply when you're craving a comforting and flavorful meal.

Pasteles are similar to tamales, but instead of using corn masa, they are made with a mixture of yuc...

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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds yuca, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 pounds green plantains, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 pounds yautia, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 pound lard
  • 1 pound achiote seeds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, or to taste
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 pounds pork shoulder roast, cut into small cubes
  • 1 pound ham, cut into small cubes
  • 2 cups garbanzo beans
  • 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
  • 1 (5 ounce) jar pitted Spanish olives
  • 1 (4 ounce) jar capers
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice
  • 4 sprigs cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 24 plantain leaves
  • kitchen string

Information

  • Prep Time: 55 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 23 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs 18 mins
  • Servings: 24
  • Yield: 2 dozen

  • Combine yuca, green plantains, yautia, and milk in a blender; puree into a thick paste the consistency of oatmeal.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Mix 2/3 of the remaining lard into the pork mixture.
  • 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.
  • Stack 2 pasteles and tie them together with kitchen string. Repeat with remaining pasteles.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasteles. Cook until filling is tender, about 1 hour. Unwrap pasteles before serving.

    • Nutrition

    417 cal.

    • Total Fat: 28g
    • Saturated Fat: 11g
    • Cholesterol: 45mg
    • Sodium: 1119mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 31g
    • Dietary Fiber: 3g
    • Total Sugars: 8g
    • Protein: 12g
    • Vitamin C: 48mg
    • Calcium: 93mg
    • Iron: 3mg
    • Potassium: 588mg

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