Argentine Fried Pastries (Pastelitos Criollos)
Pastelitos criollos Say it: pah-steh-LEE-tohs kree-OH-yohs
Pastelitos criollos are small, golden fried pastries from Argentina, traditionally made for patriotic holidays such as 25 May and 9 July. A thin, flaky dough is filled with quince paste or sweet potato paste, sealed into triangles or rectangles, and deep-fried until crisp. The contrast between the crunchy, slightly salty shell and the dense, sweet filling makes them irresistible. They are usually dusted with sugar and served with mate or coffee, bringing a homemade, festive touch to the table.
Argentine Fried Pastries (Pastelitos Criollos)
Pastelitos criollos
Pronounced pah-steh-LEE-tohs kree-OH-yohs
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 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.
Dough
Filling and finishing
Method
In a large bowl, whisk the 3 cups (390 g) flour and salt. Scatter the cold butter over the flour and rub it in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, cold water, and vinegar. Pour this into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Knead gently for 1–2 minutes, just until smooth; wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
On a surface lightly dusted with the 1/4 cup (30 g) flour, roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Fold the rectangle into thirds like a letter, roll it out again to the same thickness, and fold once more to build flaky layers.
Roll the dough out one final time to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Cut into 12 squares, about 4 inches (10 cm) each, re-rolling scraps as needed.
Place one cube of quince paste in the center of each square. Brush the edges with the sealing water, fold into a triangle or rectangle, press out any air, and crimp the edges firmly with a fork. Chill the pastries for 20 minutes.
Heat the oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry the pastries in batches of 3–4, turning once, for 3–4 minutes, until golden, puffed, and crisp at the edges. Drain on paper towels.
Toss the warm pastries in the granulated sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
Regional variant: Pastelitos de dulce de batata
Replace the quince paste with the same weight of dulce de batata (sweet potato paste), cut into 12 cubes. The dough, sealing, frying, and sugar coating stay the same; the filling is softer and milder.
Cook's notes
- Keep the butter, water, and dough as cold as possible; warm dough becomes tough and loses its flaky layers.
- Maintain the oil at a steady 350°F (175°C): too hot and the pastry browns before the filling warms through, too cool and it turns greasy.
- Press and crimp the edges very firmly; any gap will let oil seep in and filling leak out during frying.
Serve with
Serve warm or at room temperature with mate, coffee, or hot chocolate.
Make ahead and storage
The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Assemble and fry just before serving; leftovers keep covered at room temperature for 1 day and refresh in a 300°F (150°C) oven.
