Golden, crispy, and filled with juicy ground beef and melty cheese, pastel is Brazilian street foodat its best. Found in every open-air market, it’s the kind of snack Brazilians eat standing up,fresh out of the fryer, usually on a Sunday morning.Born from immigrant influences and made completely Brazilian, pastel is a symbol of simple joy,community, and everyday indulgence.This is the classic feira (street market) pastel filling.

Prep Time: 20–25 minutes (filling + assembling)

Cook Time: 5–7 minutes per batch (frying)

Servings: 6–8 pastéis (depending on size)

Ingredients

For the filling

• 500g (1 lb) ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt & black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp paprika (optional but common)
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley or green onions
• 200g (7 oz) mozzarella, sliced or grated

Other:

• 1 pack pastel or empanada dough (or spring roll wrappers as substitute)
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan, sauté onion until soft.
2. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.
3. Add ground beef, break it up well.
4. Season with salt, pepper, paprika.
5. Cook until very dry (important — wet filling bursts the pastel).
6. Turn off heat, mix in parsley. Let cool completely.

Other:

1. Place beef filling on half of the dough.
2. Add mozzarella on top.
3. Fold and seal edges with a fork (use a little water).
4. Fry in hot oil (180°C / 350°F) until golden and bubbly.
5. Drain on paper towels.

In Brazil, we usually serve this with ketchup or hot sauce