Pastel en hoja is a holiday staple, especially around Thanksgiving and Nochebuena. Usually my family will either have the classic pasteles or pasteles de yuca.

People usually end up buying them because it can be a little bit of an intimidating recipe, but trust me it’s super easy to prepare and you’ll have homemade pastles in less than 2 hours!

Pastel en Hoja (Dominican Plantain Pocket)

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Use your favorite filling

I prefer my pastel en hoja with chicken filling, but you can prepare these with beef or even make them vegetarian by using vegetables like peppers and mushrooms.

How to fold pasteles

To assemble pasteles, start by laying down the parchment paper, then place the banana leaf on top.

Add a bit of achiote oil to the leaf, spread the masa, and place the filling in the center.

Fold the banana leaf over the masa to cover it and then fold the sides in tightly to form a package. Tie it securely with string and set them aside.

Cook them right away or freeze them

You can cook pasteles en hoja immediately or freeze them for later. If you’re cooking them right away, boil them for about 35 minutes until they’re tender.

For frozen pasteles, cook them for around an hour to make sure they’re fully heated and soft.

Pastel en Hoja (Dominican Plantain Pocket)

Learn to make pastel en hoja for the holidays, an easy and customizable dish perfect with your favorite fillings.
Pastel en Hoja (Dominican Plantain Pocket)
5 from 1 vote
By: Franchesca Livraghi
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Dominican
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • 6 pieces parchment paper
  • 6 banana leaves
  • Butchers twine

Ingredients
  

Masa

  • 1 plantain
  • 1 yautia
  • 1/8 kabocha squash
  • 1 tbsp achiote oil + more for assembling
  • 1 tbsp sofrito
  • 1 tsp adobo
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 lime

Chicken filling

  • 1 chicken breast cut into pieces
  • 1 tbsp sofrito
  • 1 tsp adobo
  • ½ tsp sazón
  • ¼ tsp oregano
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cubanelle pepper chopped
  • ¼ red onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic mashed
  • ½ lime
  • 5 stems cilantro chopped
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions
 

Masa

  • Peel and chop yuca and kabocha squash.
  • Place yuca, kabocha squash, achiote oil, sofrito, adobo, lime juice, and salt in a blender, then blend into a smooth paste and set aside.

Chicken filling

  • Season chicken breast with adobo, sazón, sofrito, salt, and oregano.
  • Cook chicken in a pan until tender, then add cubanelle pepper, red onion, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, tomato paste, and water. Cook until soft and tender, then set aside.

Assembly

  • Lay parchment paper down with a banana leaf on top, add a bit of achiote oil, spread a spoonful of yuca masa, and place chicken filling in the center.
  • Fold the banana leaf, wrap with parchment paper, and tie with butcher’s twine.
  • Boil pasteles for 35 minutes if cooking immediately or 1 hour if frozen.
  • Serve with a drizzle of ketchup, mayonnaise, and hot sauce. Buen provecho!
Keyword Dominican Recipe, Pastel en Hoja, Plantain, Receta Dominicana
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