Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Pastelicos ... The Tradition Continues

One of my favorite Sephardi dishes is pastelicos (or pastelikos), a traditional little meat pie that was eaten by the Jews of the Iberian peninsula before the Spanish Inquisition. Pastelicos are traditionally eaten on Rosh Ha'Shanna due to their round shape (for reasons why we eat 'rounded' pastelicos and round challot, click here).

Since I made aliyah, I have only eaten pastelicos twice - and both times were when I was in the US on vacation (2005 for the High Holidays and 2007 for my engagement party). So, this year I decided to ask the new Mrs. Piha to continue my family's traditions and help me make Pastelicos ... And here are a few pics from how the adventure went:

The menu used:


Making the Dough:


Rolling the dough into balls:


Making the 'cups':


Halfway there:


Ready to go to the oven:


Finished product:


Now granted, they don't look like my mom's but this was our first time making them! With time, and perhaps watching Mom or Auntie Monica making them, I'm sure we'll improve their looks! It isn't plastic surgery after all ... As for how good they taste, well, you'll have to ask me after Shabbat ...

Until then, Shanna Tova u'Metooka!

7 comments:

giramondo said...

Bendichas manos ki tienes siempre para azer las komidas di tus padres y madres kon tu sposa.

Anyada buena y dulse, di paz en la tierra santa di Yisrael y el mundo intero.

IsraLuv said...

any left over? we could all combine leftovers tonight for a breakfast! :)

Anonymous said...

So how were they?

SBGH

Anonymous said...

Is this a Rodesli Recipe? They look great. I use the massa bouillida, however I shape them like an empanada... it is faster. Aniada buena. Claude from Montreal.

Avram said...

Hi Claude -

Thanks for the comment.

These are in fact the Rhodesli recipe, courtesy of the (sadly now gone)community that lived in Rhodesia.

Buenos Anyos,
Avram

Jay said...

I wonder if you'd part with the name of the cook book you've made your pastelicos from?

I've been searching for, and purchasing when available, old Jewish cookbooks for a dear friend in South America, & yours looks to fit that description quite nicely.

Thank you,

Jay in Canada

Avram said...

Hi Jay,

The cookbook is called 'Sephardi Cuisine' and was published by the Zimbabwe Ladies - Bulwayo. It is still available in the Sephardi B"K in Sea Point (Cape Town, South Africa) for ~100 rands or so.

There is an online cookbook printed by a Mr. Menashe (also of Rodos descent) that has most of the recipes. If you want to respond with your e-mail address, I'll forward it to you and delete the comment so your e-mail address remains private.