Pastel

Our pastel means so much more to us than just a simple dish.

My paternal grandparents tradition was to eat this every Friday night after the fish. And my mother adopted the tradition since she got married. So we’ve been eating it for as long as I can remember and truth is, I never got sick of it!

Hope you get to enjoy it as much as we did growing up!

Potato:

• 5 lbs red potatoes, peeled and diced

• 3 tbsp mayonnaise

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• 2 tsp cumin

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp paprika

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Meat:

• 1.5 lb minced beef

• 1/4 cup oil

• 2 medium size onions, diced

• 1/4 cup wine

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tbsp paprika

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Salt and pepper

For the potato

1. In a large pot, place all diced potatoes and fill with water. Boil until fork tender.

2. Drain, leaving some water in the potato and saving some of the water in a bowl. Mash the potato with a manual potato masher then add seasoning and mix until smooth. If potato is too thick, add more of the saved water.

For the meat:

1. Start by heating up a pan at medium high heat. Add oil, then the onion and saute until brown.

2. Add meat and break apart to cook down. Add wine and lemon. Reduce heat to medium low and add meat seasoning. Let it simmer for a few minutes.

3. When meat is cooked, transfer to a food processor. Try to leave out as much liquid as possible. Pulse it a few times until meat is fine. Set aside.

To assemble:

1. In an oven safe 9x13 dish, place half of the potato mixture in an even layer. Place meat on top of the potato. Finish off with the remaining potato on top.

2. Using a fork, make a cross-hatch design (optional).

3. For a golden top: brush egg wash on top of the pastel before placing in the oven.

4. Bake at 350F for 1.5 hour or until top is golden and edges are crispy.

Enjoy,

Guila