Trini Pastelles | Similar to Hallacas, Tamales & Pasteles

Corn flour dough
• 2 cups of fine cornmeal/corn flour/masa harina (I used Pan Yellow Cornmeal)
• 2.5 cups of hot water/hot coconut milk/hot chicken stock
• 5 tbsps of butter
• 2 tsps of salt (if using unsalted butter)
• 2 tsps of green seasoning

Meat Filling
• 2 lbs of ground beef, chicken, pork, turkey, bison, lamb, shrimp, fish, soya, lentils etc. I used 73/27 ground beef

• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 8-10 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 5 pimento peppers
• Hot pepper (optional)
• 1 cup of chopped scallion/chive
• 3-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup of chopped bandhania
• 1/2 cup of chopped celery
• 1/2 cup of chopped parsely
• 1/4 cup of roucou/annatto/achiote
• 1/4 cup of tomato paste + ketchup
• A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1/4 cup of capers, chopped
• 1/4 cup of stuffed olives, sliced
• 2 tsps of salt + 2 tsps of black pepper
• 1 bay leaf (fresh)
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• 12 pieces of 9"x9" or 9"x10" banana leaves
• Kitchen twine if tying (12 2ft pieces)
• Foil or parchment paper (12"x12")
• Pastelle/tortilla press (optional)

Steam/boil for 45 mins

Pressure cook in the InstantPot for 20 minutes if frozen and 15 minutes if fresh.

Bake at 350F for 1 hour