Recipes

Fried Pastries with Chicken Filling

Discover the delights of crispy, golden-brown fried pastries filled with succulent shredded chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and creamy cheese. These Brazilian-inspired treats, known as “Pasteles Fritos”, bring together a variety of flavors in one delicious bite. Here’s how to make them:

Ingredients:

  • 1 Boiled and shredded chicken breast
  • 250 grams of Wheat flour
  • 1 Egg
  • 75 milliliters of Milk
  • 15 grams of Melted butter
  • 1 tablespoon of Cachaça (Brazilian liquor)
  • ½ Large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 Garlic clove, minced
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 6 Sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated in hot water and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of Tomato sauce
  • Creamy cheese, as required
  • A pinch of Sugar
  • Hot chili pepper, to taste
  • ½ tablespoon of Salt

Instructions:

  1. Begin by sifting the wheat flour. Add in the salt and sugar and mix thoroughly. Next, incorporate the egg and melted butter. Wait for about 10 seconds before adding the milk at room temperature. Combine the ingredients gradually using a spoon. Introduce the cachaça (rum can be a substitute if cachaça is unavailable).
  2. Knead the mixture until it forms a smooth dough. The texture should be semi-hard, resilient to touch, and spring back when pressed. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes, covering it with a film to prevent drying.
  3. In a pan, sauté the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the shredded chicken, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and chili pepper. Stir for a few minutes, then add the chopped onion and tomato sauce. Mix well, turn off the heat, and set the filling aside.
  4. Roll out the dough thinly. A pasta roller can be particularly helpful for this step. It’s crucial to achieve a thin consistency to ensure the pastries puff up and develop the characteristic textured surface when fried.
  5. Cut the dough into strips, at least 13 cm wide. Place a couple of tablespoons of the chicken filling and pieces of creamy cheese on each strip. To give the edges a delicious finish, brush them with egg white. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges with your knuckles. Trim the sides to form rectangles.
  6. Heat oil in a pan and fry the pastries on both sides until they turn a beautiful golden brown.

Serve hot and enjoy the rich combination of flavors and textures that make these pastries a memorable treat!

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