Pastelitos

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the puff pastry: Cut the butter into the flour and salt until the
consistency of crumbs. Gradually mix in the lemon juice and add the egg.
Then, working the dough continuously with the fingers, add the water 3
tablespoons at a time. When all the water has been ab- sorbed and the dough
is quite smooth, place it on a lightly floured surface and knead it for
about 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Leave to rest 20-30 minutes,
covered with a dry tea towel. Roll out the dough thinly, to about 80 cm
square. Brush the surface with some of the melted butter, dust it with
flour and smooth the flour evenly into the butter with the hand. Fold the
dough in half and repeat the buttering and flouring process. Then repeat
the process twice more (4 times in all) until the dough is only 20 cm
square. Roll out to about 40 cm square and trim to a perfect 39 cm square.
Cut the dough into 36 x 6.5 cm squares.
To assemble: Place about 1 teaspoon of quince filling in the centre of half
the squares, then top each with another square at a 45- degree angle so you
end up with an eight-pointed star, and press the dough around the filling
to secure it firmly. Shape the pastelito into a flower by putting a
forefinger in turn on each point of the star, pointing inwards to the
centre, then use your thumb and middle ringer to pinch the adjoining points
of the bottom square up around the forefinger. This is less complicated
than it sounds.
To make syrup: Heat the sugar and and water into a small saucepan, stirring
until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Boil steadily without stirring for
5-10 minutes until glossy and thickened. Stir in a few drops of vanilla
essence and keep warm.
To deep fry: Put about 7-8 cms of oil or shortening in two deep pans or
saucepans. Heat one pan on medium heat (to about 75 degrees C) and the
other until it is hot (180 degrees C). Drop 2 or 3 paste- litos into the
warm fat and fry for 3-4 minutes, basting once or twice, until the layers
of puff pastry begin to separate and open up like a flower. Do not let
colour, but rapidly remove the pastelitos to the pan of hot oil, and fry on
both sides for about 2 minutes until golden brown. Drain the pastelitos on
absorbent paper, then dip in the warm syrup and place on a serving plate.
Serve at room temperature.
Posted by Stephen Ceideburg
From an article by Meryl Constance in The Sydney Morning Herald, 7/13/93.
Courtesy Mark Herron.
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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