Brazilian Beef Pastel

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion
• ½ cup green olives
• 2 cloves garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for cooking)
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 cups vegetable oil (for deep frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour 2 cups flour and 0.5 teaspoon salt into a large mixing bowl and stir together with a fork until the salt is evenly distributed throughout the flour.

2. 2

   Pour 0.75 cup water into the flour mixture slowly while stirring with the fork until a shaggy dough begins to form and no dry flour remains at the bottom.

3. 3

   Dust your cutting board lightly with flour, then turn the dough onto it and knead by pushing the heel of your hand forward into the dough, then folding it back toward you, for 3 minutes until it becomes smooth and slightly elastic.

4. 4

   Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces by using a knife to cut it in half, then each half in half, then each quarter in half, rotating as you go to keep pieces roughly the same size.

5. 5

   Roll each piece into a thin circle about 6 inches across and 1/8-inch thick by placing it on the floured board, then using a rolling pin to flatten it evenly in all directions, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.

6. 6

   Place the onion root-side down on the cutting board and peel away the papery outer layers, then slice the onion in half from root to tip to create two flat sides.

7. 7

   Place one onion half flat-side down and slice it lengthwise into thin half-moon pieces about 1/4-inch thick, cutting parallel to the cutting board, then repeat with the other half.

8. 8

   Place each garlic clove on the cutting board and press down firmly with the flat side of a chef's knife to crush it, then pull away the papery skin and discard it.

9. 9

   Mince the crushed garlic by rocking a chef's knife over it repeatedly until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.

10. 10

    Rinse the green olives under cool water, pat them dry with a paper towel, then chop them into pieces about the size of a small pea by rocking a chef's knife over them.

11. 11

    Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 90 seconds until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan.

12. 12

    Add the sliced onion to the hot oil and stir once every 30 seconds for 4 minutes until the onion becomes soft and begins to turn golden at the edges.

13. 13

    Add 1 pound ground beef to the softened onion and use a wooden spoon to break it into small pieces as it cooks, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until no pink color remains.

14. 14

    Add the minced garlic, chopped olives, and 0.25 teaspoon pepper to the cooked beef and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant, then remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

15. 15

    Place 1 dough circle on a clean, dry surface and spoon about 2 tablespoons of cooled beef filling onto one half of the circle, leaving a 0.5-inch border of dough around the edge.

16. 16

    Fold the empty half of the dough circle over the filled half to form a half-moon shape, then press the edges firmly together with your fingers to seal them.

17. 17

    Press the sealed edge with the tines of a fork, pushing down firmly and moving along the entire edge, to create a decorative crimp pattern that also reinforces the seal.

18. 18

    Repeat steps 15–17 with the remaining 7 dough circles and filling until all pastels are assembled and crimped, arranging them on a plate as you finish.

19. 19

    Pour 3 cups oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet and heat over medium-high heat until a wooden spoon handle dipped in the oil produces steady, vigorous bubbles—about 350°F, taking 8–10 minutes.

20. 20

    Carefully slide 2–3 pastels into the hot oil one at a time, keeping your fingers clear of the bubbling surface, and fry for 2 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.

21. 21

    Flip each pastel gently with a slotted spoon or kitchen tongs and fry for 1–2 minutes more until the second side is golden brown and crispy like a biscuit.

22. 22

    Remove the cooked pastels from the oil with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil, then repeat with the remaining batches.

23. 23

    Serve the pastels warm, either plain or with your choice of dipping sauce such as hot sauce, lime juice, or a simple tomato sauce.

Tools you’ll need

• large mixing bowl
• fork
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• rolling pin
• large skillet
• wooden spoon
• heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet
• slotted spoon or kitchen tongs
• paper towels
• instant-read thermometer (optional)
• plate

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