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Pastel de chucho
Stingray, plantain and cheese bake
Pastel de chucho: Margarita's layered bake of stingray, ripe plantain and cheese
VenezuelanOn Margarita island, pastel de chucho is the pride of fishing villages like Juan Griego and El Tirano, and a fixture of Holy Week: shredded stingray (chucho) cooked in a rich sofrito, layered with fried ripe plantain and white cheese and set with beaten egg. Stingray can be hard to find and is not always sustainable, so a firm white fish such as hake, pollock or responsibly caught skate wing works well. The common mistake is a watery sofrito, which makes the bake soggy. Chef's tip: cook the fish sofrito until the pan is almost dry before layering.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the fish
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp ground annatto (onoto)
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 red pepperfinely chopped
- 6 ají dulce (sweet chilli peppers)chopped
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 3 spring onionssliced
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp salt
For the layers
- 4 very ripe plantainsblack-skinned
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 7 oz hard white cheesegrated
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ oz butter
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rub 1 ¾ lb stingray (chucho) or firm white fish such as hake with 2 tbsp lime juice and poach it in simmering water for 10–12 minutes, until it is opaque and flakes easily. Drain, cool and shred, removing all skin, bones or cartilage.
20 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil with 1 tsp ground annatto (onoto) and fry 2 onions, 1 red pepper, 6 ají dulce (sweet chilli peppers), 4 cloves garlic and 3 spring onions for 10 minutes. Add 3 tomatoes, 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 ½ tsp salt and cook for 8 minutes.
18 minStep 3: Stir in the fish and cook, stirring, for 8–10 minutes, until the mixture is moist but no liquid runs when you tilt the pan.
10 minStep 4: Peel 4 very ripe plantains, slice lengthwise 1 cm thick and fry in ½ cup vegetable oil for 3 minutes a side, until golden. Drain.
15 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a 25 × 20 cm dish with ½ oz butter. Layer plantain, half the fish and a third of 2 ⅜ oz hard white cheese; repeat, then finish with plantain.
10 minStep 6: Whisk 3 eggs and ½ cup whole milk, pour over, and scatter the remaining 2 ¼ oz hard white cheese. Bake for 35 minutes, until set and golden. Rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
45 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pastel de chucho take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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