Philadelphia: Tropical Paradise . . . ?

We traveled to Philadelphia to attend the wedding of Scott, our dear nephew, and the first thing we saw as we exited the gate at the airport was . . .

Just what you'd expect from this marvelous tropical destination . . . especially at this time of year!

Hmm . . . A little unusual . . . I wonder what other surprises await us . . .

Tea for Two and Guava Pastries

Once in a while, I get a craving for Guava Pastries, or Pastelitos de Guayaba, our favorite treat when I was growing up . . . 

Sunday mornings meant a box of pastelitos that my father would pick up at the local Cuban bakery, and the Sunday paper.  We'd each claim our favorite section of the paper, and reach into the box for a pastry.  Ahh . . . those pastries . . . flaky . . . still warm from the oven . . . oozing guava filling . . . By the time we'd finish the paper, there would be pastry flakes all over everything. 

Then, it was time to discuss the morning's news . . .  I'll never again be able to eat a pastelito without thinking of Margaret Thatcher, the former prime minister of Great Britain.  My family rehashed the entire Falkland Islands War in the early 80's over a box of pastries . . .

We no longer have a Cuban bakery nearby, so I've learned to make the pastries myself - surprisingly easy after discovering frozen puff pastry!  Here are the ingredients:  1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water, 1 box of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets, 1 can of guava paste and 1 egg.  Most Hispanic markets carry guava paste.  Goya is a popular brand.  I like either Goya or Conchita.

Make a light syrup using 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water . . . Set aside to cool . . .

Butter a cookie sheet or use a vegetable oil spray.  Don't use one of your good cookie sheets, this one will get messy . . .

Prepare an egg wash using 1 egg and 2 tablespoons of water . . . Set aside . . .

Open up the can of guava paste . . .

It looks somewhat like jellied cranberry sauce, but it's much firmer . . .

Cut into the paste . . .

Dig out that first slice.  The first couple of slices can be messy and uneven.  That's O.K., just keep going . . .

They won't go to waste anyway . . .  Mmm . . .

Keep cutting slices out and lay them on a cutting board . . .

Use the lid to close the can back up.  I then put the whole thing inside a Ziplog bag and it lasts for weeks in the refrigerator . . .

Cut the guava paste slices in pieces about one-inch long . . .

Defrost the puff pastry overnight in the refrigerator.  Unroll the two sheets and place one on top of the other . . .

First, cut in thirds along the creases.  Then cut in quarters across . . .

This is more or less what you need to end up with . . .

Separate the top and bottom piece.  Place a piece of guava paste in the center of the bottom piece.  Moisten the edges with water. 

Cover with the top piece and crimp the edges so they seal well . . .

Place in the cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces . . .

Work moderately quickly so the puff pastry doesn't get too warm.  When it's warm, it gets sticky . . .

Brush the pastries with the egg wash . . .

Place in the oven, pre-heated to 350° F, for about 25 minutes until golden brown . . .

Remove from the oven.  Brush the tops with the simple syrup and put them back in the oven for another 5 minutes.  The syrup will caramelize the tops . . .

WARNING:  The guava paste is extremely hot when it comes out of the oven!!!  Let the pastelitos cool for at least 15 minutes before attempting to eat one!  I know it'll be hard, but you can do it!!!

Now, go ahead, invite England's Prime Minister to tea, if you like . . .

Or the President of the United States . . .

Maybe a nice pastry like this would improve his day . . .

Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper

The things you learn through Facebook . . .

My second cousin, Sonia, who, as it happens was a junior bridesmaid at my wedding, mentioned on Facebook that for a Sunday family dinner she had made "pastelitos."

"Pastelitos" is Cuban shorthand for delicate, flaky pastries, filled with "guayaba" (guava) or "carne" (beef). They are also made with other fillings: Coconut, pineapple, mango and cheese, among other choices. But when someone offers you a pastelito you will most likely be presented with a white bakery box where you will find guava and beef-filled pastries.

I could go on and on about pastelitos. They are such a part of Cuban life. Sunday mornings at our house began with my father making a trip to the Cuban bakery and picking up a box of pastelitos. We read the paper and ate them and got sticky flakes all over the table, our shirts and our fingers. There's never a party without pastelitos, and the interesting thing is that no one bakes them. They are always bought at bakeries.  In a way, it's like donuts. I mean, who ever makes donuts?

Unfortunately, we don't have a Cuban bakery nearby (neither does my cousin Sonia) so if we are going to satisfy the craving, we are going to have to make them ourselves. I immediately e-mailed Sonia and asked her for the recipe. She responded quickly, and . . . voilà!

My husband, who's had them many times, said that they were even better than the ones from the bakery (smart man!). They did taste pretty good to me, and the kitchen smelled heavenly while they were baking. Now I'm keeping a closer eye on Sonia's Facebook Wall and hope that she figures out a way to make "Guarapo" at home - sugar cane juice.