15-Min Crispy Cheese Pastels
Paper-thin fried pastry pockets stuffed with melty cheese and a hit of hot sauce—the iconic Brazilian street snack you can make at home in minutes. Crispy outside, creamy inside, gone in seconds.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 9g
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup mozzarella or white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp hot sauce (or green hot sauce, malagueta)
- ½ cup water
- 2 cups neutral oil for frying
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- 1
Mix flour, salt, and water in a bowl until a loose dough forms. Knead for 1 minute until smooth.
- 2
Divide dough into 8 balls. Flatten each ball between two sheets of plastic wrap until paper-thin.
- 3
Spoon 1.5 tbsp cheese mixed with 0.5 tsp hot sauce onto the center of each wrapper. Fold into a triangle, pressing edges firmly to seal.
- 4
Heat oil in a deep skillet to 350°F. Working in batches, fry pastels 90 seconds per side until deep golden and blistered.
- 5
Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Serve immediately while still crispy.
Tools you’ll need
- medium bowl
- plastic wrap
- deep skillet or Dutch oven
- thermometer (instant-read or deep-fry)
- slotted spoon
- paper towels
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