Recipe by Jamilka Borges: Buenanoche Pop-Up at Square Café

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- We're in the PTL Kitchen learning about some of the food featured at Buenanoche, a Puerto Rican Pop-Up Christmas Bar.

• Buenanoche: Puerto Rican Pop-Up at Square Café

• 2 plantains, peeled*
• 3 green bananas, peeled*
• 1 1/2 lbs of yautia (taro root), peeled
• 1/2 lb kabocha pumpkin, peeled
• 1 package Sazon 
• 1 tablespoon oregano

Filling 

• 2 lbs cubed pork
• 1/4 cup Recaito
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 package sazon 
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped Spanish olives with pimentos

 Procedure:

1. Using the fine shredder blade on your food processor or a manual grater, grate the plantain, green bananas, yautia, and pumpkin. Depending on the size of your food processor you may have to work in batches.
2. Change out the shredder blade for the chopping blade. Working in batches process the shredded vegetables until the fine and pasty.
3. Add remaining masa ingredients and mix until well combined.

Filling:

1. Combine all filling ingredients in a pressure cooker. Set to cook for 30 minutes. Let it come back to pressure naturally without releasing it.
2. Uncover and set to brown/simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool and store in airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Assemble:

1. Set up assembly station with masa mixture, filling, achiote oil, banana leaves, paper for pastels, and butchers twine.
2. Stack the pastels paper and banana leaves, alternating them starting with the pastel paper. Spread 1 tsp of achiote oil on the banana leaf. Scoop 1/2 cup of the masa mixture onto the banana leave and spread out into a rectangle.
3. Place 2 tablespoons of filling down the center and top with pimentos if you like. Using the banana leaf fold the masa over the filling.
4. Bring the leaf ends together. Fold over twice to create a tight seal. Tuck the ends under, if the banana leaf splits a little don't stress we are going to fold it again in the paper. Do the same wrap and fold with the paper. If you use only pastel paper I recommend double wrapping.
5. Tie the pastel with butchers twine like a present. At this point, you can boil them right away, or you can freeze them until ready to use. When ready to cook bring a large pot of water to a boil, drop in pasteles and boil for 45 minutes for fresh and 1 hour for frozen. They can also be cooked in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes with 1 cup of water.
6. Using a pair of tongs pick the pastel out of the water by the string and place on a paper towel. Cut the string and gently unwrap. Enjoy

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• PTL Recipes
• Pittsburgh Today Live