Yuca, also known as manioc or cassava, is a tuber native to Brazil and a fundamental ingredient in Latin American cuisines. Its starchy white pulp, encased in a brown skin, can be steamed, boiled, roasted, or fried, making it valuable to a variety of preparations, from doughs for pasteles and cakes to fries and dumplings .

Annatto is a spice derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, available in seed and paste form. It is used to season dishes like Yucatan-style fish tacos . Its peppery yet mildly sweet flavor shines through in tikin xic , a traditional Mexican preparation of whole fish with an adobo of achiote and sour orange juice. Annatto seeds are also infused in oil and used in dishes such as chicken inasal .

Pasteles

Active Time:

1 hr 45 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 55 mins

Yield:

16 pasteles

Pasteles are bundles of savory dough made with both soft, sweet plantains and the starchy green variety, plus yuca and kabocha squash. Chef JJ Johnson of Fieldtrip in New York City fills them with chicken cooked in a tomato sauce redolent with coriander and annatto; they’re then wrapped in banana leaves and parchment paper and boiled until the dough is cooked.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is yuca?

Yuca, also known as manioc or cassava, is a tuber native to Brazil and a fundamental ingredient in Latin American cuisines. Its starchy white pulp, encased in a brown skin, can be steamed, boiled, roasted, or fried, making it valuable to a variety of preparations, from doughs for pasteles and cakes to fries and dumplings.
What is annatto?

Annatto is a spice derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, available in seed and paste form. It is used to season dishes like Yucatan-style fish tacos. Its peppery yet mildly sweet flavor shines through in tikin xic, a traditional Mexican preparation of whole fish with an adobo of achiote and sour orange juice. Annatto seeds are also infused in oil and used in dishes such as chicken inasal.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Clean and soften banana leaves by placing them in boiling water for 1 minute and rinsing in cold water. Dry the leaves when ready to make pasteles, wiping in the direction of the ridges to prevent tearing. Look for plantains that are mostly black with some yellow coloring. Their texture should be firm but still yield to pressure, like a ripe avocado.

Suggested pairing

We suggest pairing these festive pasteles with an easygoing, strawberry-scented Beaujolais, like Trenel Villages.

Make ahead

Filling can be made up to four days ahead. Dough can be made up to one day ahead. Store uncooked pasteles in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. To serve, place frozen pasteles in boiling water, and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender.

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Ingredients

Filling

3 tablespoons canola oil
4 (5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup chicken stock or water
1/2 cup drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
1/2 cup drained pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 (0.25-ounce) package sazón with coriander and annatto (such as Goya) (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Dough

3 cups water
2 cups peeled and chopped yuca
1 cup peeled and chopped kabocha squash
2 ripe, sweet plantains, peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 green plantains, peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 large Spanish or white onion, quartered
4 sweet green Dominican or cubanelle peppers, chopped (about 3 cups)
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (3 cups)
6 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
2 (0.25-ounce) package sazón with coriander and annatto (such as Goya) (about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons kosher salt

Additional Ingredients

Parchment paper, cut into 16 (12-inch) squares
Banana leaves (from 1 [1-pound] package), thawed if frozen, washed, and cut into 16 (12-inch) squares
Butcher’s twine or kitchen string

Directions

Make the filling

Heat oil in a medium (6-quart) heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium until shimmering. Add chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir chicken stock, chickpeas, olives, tomato sauce, sazón, and salt into pan, and bring to a boil over high. Cover; reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is almost falling apart, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat; transfer chicken to a cutting board, and shred with two forks. Return chicken to chickpea mixture in saucepan; set aside.
Make the dough

Place 3 cups water, yuca, and kabocha squash in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium; cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Pour yuca mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl; reserve yuca mixture and cooking liquid in separate bowls. Let cool 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, process sweet and green plantains in a food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add reserved yuca mixture, onion, sweet peppers, cilantro, garlic, oregano, sazón, salt, and 1/3 cup reserved cooking liquid; process until smooth and mixture looks like a spreadable creamy puree, 4 to 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of processor as needed. Transfer dough to a large bowl; set aside.
To assemble pasteles, place 1 piece of parchment paper on a work surface, and top with 1 banana leaf. Spoon 1/2 cup dough onto bottom half of banana leaf, and flatten to about 3/4-inch thickness. Spoon 1/4 cup filling down center of dough.
Fold bottom half of banana leaf and parchment paper over filling; repeat with top half so that filling is completely encased by dough and banana leaf and parchment paper are wrapped around it. Tuck ends of parchment paper and banana leaf, and tie using butcher’s twine. Repeat process with remaining parchment paper, banana leaves, dough, and filling.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high; reduce heat to medium-low. Carefully lower pasteles into water, and simmer, covered, until dough is cooked, about 30 minutes.
Carefully remove pasteles from pot using tongs. Let cool for 10 minutes before opening and serving.