Pastel de Queijo
Crispy Brazilian cheese pastry pockets with gooey mozzarella and cream cheese filling. A beloved street snack that is warm, stretchy, and utterly addictive.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 580
- Protein
- 18g
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups neutral oil for frying
Instructions
- 1
In a small saucepan, combine 0.75 cup milk, 4 tablespoons butter, and 0.5 teaspoon salt over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the butter melts and small bubbles form around the edge, about 3 minutes.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from heat and wait 1 minute for the mixture to cool slightly, then add 2 cups flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until no flour streaks remain and the dough pulls away from the pan sides, about 1 minute.
- 3
Transfer the dough to a plate and let it cool for 5 minutes until it is cool enough to handle comfortably without burning your fingers.
- 4
In a small bowl, stir together 2 cups shredded mozzarella and 0.5 cup softened cream cheese until combined, then set the bowl aside within arm's reach of your work surface.
- 5
Wet your hands with a bit of water to prevent sticking, then tear off a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and roll it gently between your palms into a smooth ball.
- 6
Place the dough ball on the cutting board and use your thumb to poke a hole in the center, then gently stretch and rotate the dough with your other hand to form a thin cup about 2 inches wide and 1 inch deep, like a small bowl.
- 7
Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cheese filling into the center of the dough cup, then gently pinch and fold the edges of the dough over the filling to seal it, creating a rough ball shape with the seam facing down.
- 8
Set the filled pastry seam-side down on a plate, then repeat steps 5–7 with the remaining dough and filling until all dough and filling are used (you should have 12–16 pastels).
- 9
Pour 3 cups neutral oil into a deep medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until the surface shimmers and a tiny piece of dough dropped in immediately sizzles and rises to the surface, about 4 minutes.
- 10
Carefully lower 4 pastels into the hot oil using a slotted spoon, keeping your hands and face away from any splashing, and fry without moving them for 2 minutes until the bottom is golden brown like caramel.
- 11
Flip each pastel over using two forks or tongs, then fry for another 1–2 minutes until the second side is also golden brown and the cheese has softened slightly inside.
- 12
Use a slotted spoon to lift the pastels from the oil and transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, then repeat steps 10–11 with the remaining pastels in batches, allowing the oil to return to a shimmer between batches.
- 13
Let the pastels rest for 3 minutes on the paper towels so excess oil drains away before serving them warm.
Tools you’ll need
- small saucepan
- wooden spoon
- small bowl
- cutting board
- plate
- deep medium saucepan
- slotted spoon
- two forks or tongs
- paper towels
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