Pastellas

Pastellas are part of my all-time favorite food. I mean... who doesnt like anything potato and meat? So many memories come back everytime I have them!

These little individual potato “patties” are filled with meat in the middle and finished off fried in oil. They are typically made for holidays (specifically pessach) only because of the many steps to follow in order to make them! I split the process in 3 main steps, which helps me accomplish each task on it own and not see the whole process as one. (Its psychological. 3 small tasks sound better in my head than 1 large) First, preparation of meat and potato and refrigerate. Then, forming the pastella and freezing. Lastly, frying!

Yes, the process is long. But they are so worth trying!

Special thanks to my amazing aunt, who does not want to be tagged. The master at making 100s of those at a time. Thank you for all your helpful tips😘

yields about 30-35.

For the potato:

• 7 lb of russet potato

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 egg and 1 egg yolk

For the meat:

• 1.5 lb of minced beef

• 2 onions, roughly chopped

• 2 tbsp oil

• 1 tsp paprika

• 2 bay leaves

• Salt

• A pinch of saffron infused in 1 cup of room temp water (or hot if you didn’t do it in advance)

Extras:

• oil

• Eggs

• Potato starch

DIRECTIONS:

First step:

1. Peel and cut potatoes and add them to a pot of water. Boil for about 30-40 minutes until fork tender.

2. Meanwhile, fry onion in oil in a pan. Add meat and break it down. When almost fully cooked, bring down the heat to a simmer and add spices and 3/4 cup of the saffron. Simmer in spices for about 10 minutes. Reserve leftover saffron.

3. Carefully transfer the meat to a food processor, leaving out as much liquid as possible. Pulse it for a few seconds, just enough to mince it into very small pieces. Set aside in a bowl to cool.

4. Drain potatoes, reserving about a cup of the starchy water. Mash it with a manual potato masher. If too stiff, add back a few tbsp of starchy water (i added 3 tbsp. Remember, this is not the texture of mashed potato. But it can't be too stiff and hard to mash) Add eggs, lemon and spices and mix. Refrigerate.

5. Form mini “meatballs” the size of a toonie with the meat mixture and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate.

Second step:

1. Using the leftover saffron, add some oil and place in a small bowl. Prepare also a bowl of potato starch.

2. To form the pastella: Oil your hand in the saffron oil, take a little less than a tennis ball worth of potato in one hand and flatten in. Make a dent in the middle to put the meatball. Carefully fold the potato over the entire meatball and set aside. Repeat for all.

3. Dip each pastella in potato starch. We dont want a thick layer around so make it as thin as possible.

4. Lay on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze.

Third step:

1. Take out of the freezer and place in a 9x13, separating each layer with parchment paper to avoid them from sticking to one another. Freeze until ready to fry.

2. If your ready to fry directly, prepare oil in a large pot. Prepare beaten egg in a bowl.

3. Heat oil to a medium high heat. Straight from the freezer, dip pastellas in egg and fry in oil. Flip only when golden. Remove and place on paper towel to drain. They are fried frozen to avoid them from disintegrating in the oil if they were thawed!

Enjoy,

Guila