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100% Authentic Pastel Mandi'o

Learn how to make a delectable Yuca Empanadas "Pastel Mandi'o" and delight the taste buds of all your loved ones. This "Pastel Mandi'o" recipe is a Traditional Paraguayan dish similar to empanadas, except that the dough is made from mandioca (yuca).

SERVINGS 20 Empanadas

CALORIES 425 kcal

INGREDIENTS

for the Beef filling:

• 1 kg (2: 3.4 Lbs) boneless Beef Chuck, trimmed and cubed
• 3 medium yellow onion , small diced
• 1 Poblano Pepper or green bell peppers , small diced
• 1 red bell pepper , small diced
• 1 yellow or orange , small diced
• 2 scallions or green onion , finely chopped ( white and green part separated)
• 5 Garlic cloves , minced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper , adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes , adjust to taste
• 1 tablespoon sweet or smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons knorr beef flavor bouillon , adjust to taste
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin or coriander , to taste (optional)
• Kosher salt , to needed
• 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley or cilantro , finely chopped ( stem removed)
• 4 hard-boiled eggs , minced
• For the Yuca dough:
• 1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter , lard, or oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 200 g (1 cup) of Quaker Yellow Cornmeal or Maseca Instant Yellow Corn Masa Flour plus for dusting
• 1 kg , fresh or frozen, peeled, deveined, and quartered yuca
• water

INSTRUCTIONS

 

For the Yuca Empanadas Filling:

Place the eggs in a saucepan in a single layer, and fill the pan with enough cold water to cover the eggs. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, remove the pan from the heat, cover, and stand for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of ice water. Carefully pour out the hot water; transfer the cooked eggs to the ice water to cool completely before peeling for about 10 minutes.Then, gently crack the eggs all over and peel them under running water. Pat, dry with a paper towel, and places them into a bowl. Using a fork, minced the eggs; cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a large nonstick pot, combine beef, 2 tablespoons olive oil, water, beef bouillon, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic; stir and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, occasionally stirring until beef is tender for about 1 hour. Remove lid, and increase heat to high until and let dry up to a juicy but dry look for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the paprika, white part of the scallions, onions, and peppers until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the parsley and the green part of the green onions and saute for another 10 minutes to eliminate any excess liquid (the mixture should be moist but not runny. That's the trick). Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Then, working in batches, transfer the meat mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse until it is coarsely shredded ( don't overdo it, or you'll need up with puree).

Next, transfer each batch of shredded meat mixture into a large mixing bowl and mix in the minced eggs. Let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Yuca Empanadas Dough:

In a large pot of boiling salted water, place the peeled and quartered yuca (make sure the water covers the yuca. Cook over high heat until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Check individual pieces for doneness; some pieces may cook faster than others.

Once the Yuca is tender, drain them in a colander for 2 minutes. Next, Using a stand mixer with the fine plate grinder attachment. Feed the cooked yuca through your grinder.( Make sure to use the finest cutting plate you have). Alternatively, you can place a food mill fitted with a small disc/blade over a glass bowl. Process the yuca through the food mill, turning the handle back and forth to force the yuca through the disc.

As soon as the yuca is mashed and still hot, transfer onto a clean flat working surface. Next, combine the cornmeal and salt in a small bowl; sprinkle over the mashed yuca along with the butter and egg yolk. Mix well using your hands until homogeneous dough-like consistency form that is no longer sticky for about 5 to 10 minutes.

If the dough is too sticky, add more cornmeal, about 1 tablespoon at a time. (Make sure to use your hands to combine the mixture thoroughly combine the mixture, as this is the most important step).

Once the dough is ready, grab a fist-size portion of yuca dough and shape it into a roll. Then, roll out between 2 pieces of parchment to about 5 to 6 inches in diameter and ¼” thick. (You don’t want to go too thin; otherwise, it will tear when folding over the filling).

Alternately you can sprinkle a bit of cornmeal on your working surface and roll out the yuca dough into a 1/4 inch thick sheet. Then, cut out discs, using 5 to 6 inches rounds cutter or saucer, depending on how large you prefer.

Then, gather the scraps, add to the rest of the dough, and roll out another batch of circles; repeat with the rest of the scraps. Use wax or parchment paper to separate the stack of disks and cover with cling film.

To Assemble the Yuca Empanadas:

Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment and dust with cornmeal, set aside.

Spoon about 3 to 4 tablespoons of beef mixture in the center of each empanada disc, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Avoid reaching the edges with the filling because oiliness will prevent a good seal. (You don’t want to overfill…this will lead to tearing as well as tearing up!)

Fold the dough over and press the edges together to seal and create a half-moon shape. Place the cutter or saucer over the empanada and use the edge to cut off any excess dough.

Using the tines of the fork, crimp the edges, removing any air pockets as you go. Place the Yuca Empanadas as done in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining rounds and filling. Let the Yuca Empanadas rest in the fridge until you're ready to fry or bake for up to 3 hours.

To Fry the Yuca Empanadas:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Heat 1-quart canola oil in a medium pot to 350 degrees F. Assemble the yuca empanadas and fry them in batches until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet; keep warm in the oven.

Alternatively, you can Lightly brush the top of the yuca empanadas with a mixture of egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of whole milk or water, then bake them in a 425 F preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, until golden on top.

Serve: with chimichurri sauce or hot sauce and a side of yuca, if desired. Enjoy our Delicious Yuca Empanadas!

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking