Pastechi
Fried food from the Dutch Caribbean
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pastechi is a traditional breakfast or snack found throughout the ABC islands that is a crescent-shaped deep-fried dough with a filling.[1][2][3][4] It is similar to an empanada.[5] The dough tends to be slightly sweet.[6] The filling widely varies and can include meat, seafood, vegetables, or cheese.[1][4] The filling can also be combined with other ingredients such as onions, peppers, celery stalks, raisins, cumin, and nutmeg.[1] Leftover meats, often roast chicken or pork, can be used for the recipe.[5]
Pastechi | |
| Course | Breakfast, snack |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao |
| Main ingredients | Dough (flour, salt, sugar, water, butter, egg), filling (meat, fish, vegetables, or cheese) combined with onions, green peppers, celery stalks, raisins, cumin, nutmeg, and/or hot peppers |
| Variations | Numerous |
The dish is found throughout Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao particularly at roadside snack bars or bakeries.[1][7] However, even some top-rated restaurants on the island serve the dish.[6][7] The dish is often served at parties as well and tend to be smaller than the ones that are purchased, with the party size approximately 10 centimeters in diameter.[7]
The pastechi reflects the diverse ethnic and culinary influences in Aruba, such as from Indonesia and the Netherlands.[2][5] For instance, the dish can utilize sambal olek or Indonesian chili paste.[5]