Pasteles

Lore & Background

In Trinidad and Tobago, pastelles are small cornmeal pies stuffed with meat, fish, or vegetables, wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed. A sweet version called paime contains no filling but has ground coconut and raisins in the dough. In Colombia, pastel de arroz is made from rice seasoned and aired in the sun, wrapped in cabbage and banana leaves. In the Dominican Republic, pasteles de hoja are a Christmas tradition, made with green plantains and root vegetables, filled with ground meat, and boiled in salt water.

Reader's Guide

Pasteles hold significant cultural and culinary importance across Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly as a cherished Christmas dish. Their origins trace back to the indigenous Taino people, and they have evolved through Spanish colonization and migration, such as the movement of Puerto Rican workers to Hawaii and the Dominican Republic after the San Ciriaco hurricane in 1899. The dish reflects a fusion of indigenous, African, and European influences, with regional variations in ingredients and preparation methods. Despite differences—such as the use of cornmeal in Trinidad and Tobago or rice in Colombia—pasteles remain a symbol of family tradition and holiday celebration, often made in large batches and shared among communities. The first printed recipes appeared in a Dominican cookbook in 1938, and the dish was first written about in an 1843 Puerto Rican publication.

Did You Know?

• The original name for a Puerto Rican pastel was Mamie, according to Carmen Aboy Valldejuli's book Cocina Criolla.
• In Hawaii, pasteles are called pateles, reflecting the Puerto Rican pronunciation that weakens or drops the 's' sound.
• Over 5,000 Puerto Ricans migrated to Hawaii at the dawn of the 20th century to work in sugar plantations, bringing pasteles with them.
• A sweet version of pastelles in Trinidad and Tobago is called paime, made with ground coconut and raisins in the dough.