Pastel (food)

Pastel is a typical Brazilian dish, consisting of crisp pastry with assorted fillings.

Pastel in Brazil

In Brazil the Pastel is a "salgado" (salty snack) primarily sold on the street with a thin pastry envelope containing minced meat, catupiry and chicken, shrimp or another filling and then deep fried. Sweet "pastéis" also exist and may contain guava jelly and cheese or other fillings.

Pastel in the Philippines

In the Philippines the Pastel is a soft bun with varied fillings. This Filipino dessert originated on the Camiguin Island.

Pastel in Puerto Rico

Although typically a Spanish word that means "cake" in many other Hispanic countries, a pastel is a Puerto Rican dish which includes diced pork and potates, with olives and sweet peppers, centered in dough comprising mainly of green bananas with a small portion of one of the following: plantain, yautía, pumpkin, or potato. The dough is tinted with annatto oil. It is wrapped in banana leaf, tied with string, boiled and later served with either white or yellow rice.

References

*http://www.celiac.com/articles/1161/1/Pastel-de-Tres-Leches-Gluten-Free/Page1.html
*http://www.whats4eats.com/recipes/r_st_pasteles.php