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Pastel de Chaves
Minced veal puff pastry pies
Pastel de Chaves: flaky half-moon puff pastry filled with seasoned minced veal
PortugueseIn the spa town of Chaves near the Spanish border, these crescent-shaped pasties are sold warm from bakeries all day and eaten for breakfast, lunch or with a coffee on the old Roman bridge. Many crisp, buttery layers enclose a savoury filling of minced veal. Chaves bakers use their own protected dough; at home, good all-butter puff pastry gets very close. A common mistake is a warm filling; it melts the butter in the pastry, so cool the meat completely before shaping. Chef's tip: cook the filling and let it cool completely before filling, or it melts the butter in the pastry and the layers will not rise.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the filling
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionvery finely chopped
- 1 clove garliccrushed
- 14 oz minced vealor lean minced beef
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch grated nutmeg
- 2 tbsp parsleyfinely chopped
For the pastry
- 1 ⅜ lb all-butter puff pastry2 sheets or a block, chilled
- 2 tbsp plain flourfor rolling
- 1 eggbeaten, for glazing
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and cook the 1 onion and 1 clove garlic for 6 minutes, until soft. Add the 14 oz minced veal and cook, breaking it up, for 8–10 minutes, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F.
16 minStep 2: Season with the 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and 1 pinch grated nutmeg, stir in the 2 tbsp parsley, and spread on a plate to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
20 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 400°F and line two trays with baking paper. On a lightly floured surface (use the 2 tbsp plain flour), roll the 1 ⅜ lb all-butter puff pastry to about 3 mm and cut 8 rounds of 14 cm.
10 minStep 4: Put 2 heaped tablespoons of filling on one half of each round, brush the edge with water and fold into a half-moon. Press the edges firmly together and crimp with a fork. Chill for 15 minutes.
20 minStep 5: Brush with the beaten 1 egg, taking care not to drip it down the cut edges, which glues the layers shut. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until puffed, flaky and deep golden. Eat warm.
25 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pastel de Chaves take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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