Pastel (food)

Pastelis theSpanishandPortugueseword forpastry, a sugary food, and is the name given to different typical dishes of various countries where those languages are spoken. In Mexico, pastel typically meanscake, as withPastel de tres leches. However, in different Latin American countries pastel can refer to very different sugary dishes, and even to non-sugary ones as well. In some places, like Brazil, a pastel can refer to both a sugary and non-sugary food, depending on the filling used.
InBrazil, pastel (plural:pastéis) is a typical street-foodBrazilian dishconsisting of half-circle or rectangle-shaped thin-crust pies with assorted fillings, that can be savory or sweet, and fried in vegetable oil. The result is a crispy, brownish-fried pie. Some of the sweet fillings areguava pastewithMinas cheese. Banana and chocolate also exist. The pastel is classified in Brazilian cuisine as asalgado(savoury snack). It is traditionally sold on the streets, in open-air marketplaces, or in shops known aspastelarias.  Popularfolklorestates that Brazilian Pastels originated whenJapaneseimmigrants adaptedChinesefriedSpring rollsto sell as snacks at weekly street markets. A common beverage to drink with pastéis iscaldo de cana, asugarcane juice. Pastéis can also consist of non-sweet fillings, such asground meat,mozzarella,catupiry, theheart of palm,codfish,cream cheese,chicken, and smallshrimp.
In Mexico, pastel typically meanscake, as in the dessert calledPastel de tres leches. Pastel de tres leches is also served in other Latin American countries, such as Nicaragua, Panama, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, but the word used to describe it may or may not be "pastel". In Puerto Rico, for example, the same food as the one in Mexico is calledBizcocho de tres leches.
A pastel inPortugalmay refer to several types ofdessertsorhors d'œuvres. These include thepastel de bacalhauand thepastel de nata.
A dish under a similar name in Greek ("παστέλι") is asesame seed candytype of dish.
The word "pastel" (or, its plural "pasteles") is used in some Spanish-speaking countries to refer to a starchy, non-sugary food.
In Brazil, the pastel is also made in a non-sugary variety, as it can also be made with sweet fillings, such asguava pastewithMinas cheese, or banana and chocolate. It is traditionally sold on the streets, in open-air marketplaces, or in fast-food shops known aspastelarias.  A common beverage to drink with pastéis iscaldo de cana, asugarcane juice.
InIndonesia, pastel refers to a pie crust made of thinpastryfilled with meat (usually chicken) mixed with vegetables (peas, chopped carrots, and diced potatoes),rice vermicelli, and sometimes slices of egg, then deep fried in vegetable oil. It is consumed as a snack and commonly sold in Indonesian traditional markets.The similarManadoneseversion replaces thin flour pie crust withbreadand filled with spicycakalang(skipjack tuna) is calledpanada.
In thePhilippines,pastelmay refer to any (usually chicken or meat) casserole dish baked in a pie crust. AmongMuslim Filipinos,pastelis an alternative spelling ofpastil, which refer to two different dishes.Pastil(also spelledpatil,patel, orpatir) among theDanao-speaking peoplesrefers to white rice and meat wrapped in a banana leaf; whilepastilamong theTausug peoplerefers to a nativized version of theempanada. In theprovinceofCamiguin, however, it refers specifically topastel de Camiguín, a soft, sweet-filled bun.
InPuerto Rico, where the word is generally used in its plural form (pasteles), it is a dish that includes diced pork (or chicken) witholives,raisins,chickpeas, and sweet bell peppers. This mixture is centered in dough made mainly of greenbananaswith a small portion of greenplantain, roots ("yautía"),pumpkin,coconut milk, andpotato. The dough is tinted withannattooil. (Cassava or yucca "pasteles" dough only has yucca,coconut milk, andannattooil in the mix.) Each "pastel" is wrapped inplantain leaf, tied in pairs with a string (the pair is called a "yunta"), boiled, and then unwrapped and served, typically with yellow rice withpigeon peas. The overall effect is very similar to Mexican and Peruviantamales, but with a very different flavor since this dough is not corn-based. This is not a pastry by any means.
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