Paraguayan Cassava Turnovers (Pastel Mandi'o)
Pastel mandi'o Say it: pas-TEL man-dee-OH
Pastel mandi'o is a Paraguayan fried turnover whose golden shell is made from cassava — mandi'o in Guaraní — rather than wheat. Boiled yuca is mashed into a soft dough, wrapped around a savory filling of ground beef, onion and hard-boiled egg, then sealed and deep-fried. Sold at street stalls and made at home for Merienda, birthdays and long weekends, it is a beloved snack: crisp and slightly chewy outside, dense and gently sweet within, juicy at the center.
Paraguayan Cassava Turnovers (Pastel Mandi'o)
Pastel mandi'o
Pronounced pas-TEL man-dee-OH
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the dough
For the filling
For frying
Method
Put the cassava in a large pot, cover with cold salted water by 2 inches (5 cm), and boil for 25–30 minutes, until a knife slides through with no resistance. Drain well and pull out and discard the tough fibrous core from each piece.
Mash the hot cassava with a potato masher or fork until smooth, then beat in the egg, flour, grated cheese and salt to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes while you make the filling.
Heat the 1 tbsp oil in a wide skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 5–6 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Raise the heat to medium-high, add the beef, cumin, paprika and oregano, and cook for 7–8 minutes, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains and the juices have evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and let it cool for 10 minutes.
Stir the chopped hard-boiled eggs and parsley into the cooled beef and taste for salt — the filling should be well seasoned and moist but not wet.
Divide the dough into 12–14 pieces and roll each into a ball. Flatten a ball between two sheets of lightly oiled plastic wrap into a 4-inch (10 cm) round about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
Spoon about 2 tbsp of filling onto one half, leaving a 1/2-inch (1 cm) border. Fold the dough over, press out the air, and seal the edge firmly, crimping it with the tines of a fork. Repeat with the rest, dusting your hands with flour if the dough sticks.
Heat the oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry the turnovers 3 or 4 at a time for 3–4 minutes per side, until deep golden and the edges crisp. Drain on paper towels and eat hot.
Regional variant: Pastel mandi'o de queso (cheese-filled cassava turnover)
Make the same dough but skip the beef filling. Mix 2 cups (200 g) grated mild cheese with 1 small finely chopped onion, 1 beaten egg and a grind of black pepper, and use 2 tbsp of this per turnover. Seal, fry exactly as above, and serve hot so the cheese is still molten.
Cook's notes
- Mash the cassava while it is still hot — once it cools it turns gluey and the dough becomes hard to handle.
- Never overfill: a loose seal or too much filling makes the pastel burst in the oil and drink up grease.
- Keep the oil at a steady 350°F (175°C); if it smokes, the crust browns before the cassava dough cooks through.
Serve with
A squeeze of lime or a spoon of hot sauce, and iced tereré or a cold beer.
Make ahead and storage
Uncooked turnovers freeze well for up to 2 months on a tray, then bagged — fry straight from frozen, adding 1 minute. Fried ones keep 2 days refrigerated and reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 8 minutes.
