Puerto Rican Pasteles

• Prep1 h 30 min
• Cook1 h 50 min
• Total3 h 20 min
• Serves12

Ingredients

For the achiote oil

• 120 g vegetable oil (1/2 cup)
• 2 tbsp annatto seeds (achiote)

For the filling

• 15 g achiote oil (1 tbsp)
• 120 g homemade sofrito (1/2 cup), see the Puerto Rican sofrito recipe
• 700 g boneless pork shoulder, in 1 cm cubes (1 1/2 lb, 1/2 in cubes)
• 5 g sazón with culantro and achiote (1 packet)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 115 g tomato sauce (1/2 cup)
• 120 g water (1/2 cup)
• 240 g canned chickpeas, drained (one 15.5 oz can)
• 60 g alcaparrado (olives, capers and pimientos), drained (1/3 cup)

For the masa

• 900 g green bananas, peeled, in 4 cm pieces (about 9 bananas, 2 lb)
• 250 g yautía (malanga), peeled, in 3 cm pieces (1/2 lb)
• 150 g calabaza (West Indian pumpkin), peeled, in 3 cm pieces (1/3 lb)
• 150 g milk or chicken broth (2/3 cup)
• 60 g achiote oil (1/4 cup)
• 2 tsp salt

To wrap

• 12 pieces of banana leaf, about 30 x 25 cm (12 x 10 in), thawed if frozen
• 12 sheets of parchment paper, about 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 in)
• Kitchen string

Instructions

1. Make the achiote oil on the stove: warm the oil and annatto seeds in a small saucepan over low heat 3 to 4 minutes, until the oil turns deep orange, without letting it smoke. Strain and let it cool.
2. For the filling, place 15 g achiote oil and the sofrito in the mixing bowl and sauté 5 min/120°C (250°F)/speed 1.
3. Add the pork, sazón, oregano and salt and sauté 5 min/120°C (250°F)/reverse/speed 1. Add the tomato sauce and water, place the simmering basket on the mixing bowl lid instead of the measuring cup and cook 35 min/100°C (212°F)/reverse/speed soft.
4. Add the chickpeas and alcaparrado and cook 5 min/100°C (212°F)/reverse/speed soft. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let it cool completely. Rinse the mixing bowl.
5. For the masa, place half of the bananas, yautía, calabaza and milk in the mixing bowl and chop 10 sec/speed 6. Scrape down the sides and blend 40 sec/speed 8, until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the other half.
6. Stir the 60 g achiote oil and the salt into the masa. It should be soft, like thick oatmeal, and taste well seasoned.
7. To assemble, lay a banana leaf on a sheet of parchment, brush the center with 1 tsp achiote oil and spread 100 g masa (1/3 cup) into a 10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 in) rectangle. Spoon 2 tbsp filling down the middle, with a few chickpeas and olives.
8. Fold the leaf in half lengthwise so the masa closes over the filling, fold over the long edge, then the ends, and wrap the parchment around it the same way. Tie the pasteles in pairs, folded sides facing each other, with kitchen string.
9. In a large pot on the stove, bring plenty of salted water to a boil. Add the pasteles, cover and boil gently 1 hour (1 hour 15 minutes if frozen), turning them halfway. Drain, cut the string and unwrap them at the table.

Tips

• Wear gloves to peel green bananas, because the sap stains your hands. Cut off the ends, slit the skin and drop the peeled bananas in salted water so they don't darken.
• Pasteles freeze beautifully. Freeze them raw, tied in pairs, in freezer bags for up to 6 months and boil them straight from the freezer.
• Look for banana leaves in the freezer section at Sedano's, Latin markets and many Walmart stores. Wipe them clean and pass them briefly over a gas flame, or dip them in hot water, so they fold without cracking.
• Serve them with arroz con gandules and a few drops of pique.