My favorite definition for the word pastel, which loosely means "tart", is when it describes the tall double-crusted savory pies sold by the slice for lunch or snack in South America. Pasteles are not exactly quiches - they have more filling and an empanada dough-like crust. (Real men should therefore feel free to eat pasteles).
This recipe is for a pastel filled with leeks, artichoke hearts, bacon, spinach and queso fresco cheese. If you don't have one of these ingredients, subsitute something similar or leave it out - you can be creative with the filling.
This recipe is for a pastel filled with leeks, artichoke hearts, bacon, spinach and queso fresco cheese. If you don't have one of these ingredients, subsitute something similar or leave it out - you can be creative with the filling.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 pieces of bacon
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 14 ounce cans of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 2 bags of baby spinach
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 4 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups cream
- 1 cup milk
- 12 ounces of queso fresco, crumbled
- 3 eggs (uncooked)
- 4 hardboiled eggs, peeled and quartered
- 6 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Recipe Pastel Dough (see link to recipe below)
- 1 egg yolk
Preparation:
- Cook the bacon in a very large skillet until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Coarsely chop and set aside.
- Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook until very soft and translucent.
- Add the artichokes and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring.
- Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
- Remove from heat and let cool in pan.
- In a separate skillet, melt the butter. Add the chopped leeks and cook on low heat, covered, until tender and bright green, 15-25 minutes.
- Stir the cooked leeks into the large skillet with the onion mixture. Stir in the flour, and place over low-medium heat, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cream and the milk, and cook, sitrring, until mixture starts to thicken.
- Remove from heat and stir in the crumbled queso fresco and the chopped bacon. Let mixture cool for about 5 minutes, then stir in the 3 eggs, the parmesan cheese, and the pieces of hardboiled egg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill mixture for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Divide the pastel dough (recipe here) into two parts, one larger (about 2/3 of the dough) than the other. Roll the large piece out on a floured surface into a 16 inch diameter circle.
- Carefully line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with the dough, letting the edges overhang.
- Completely fill the crust with the leek and artichoke filling.
- Roll the other piece of dough out into a 9-inch circle and cover the tart.
- Trim the edges of the dough and seal them together. Brush the top of the tart with egg yolk, and decorate with dough scraps if desired.
- Bake the tart for 30 to 40 minutes, until crust is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool 5-10 minutes. Run a knife between the sides of the tart and the pan, then loosen the springform and carefully lift the ring from the tart.
- Return tart to oven without the springform ring for 5-10 minutes, to let the side crust turn golden brown.
- Serve tart warm or at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.
