Pastel de Feira

Make the dough: in a bowl combine All-Purpose Flour and a pinch of Salt. Add Cachaça and a few tablespoons of Neutral Oil, then gradually add Water until a soft, smooth dough forms. Knead briefly, cover and let rest for 20–30 minutes to relax the gluten.

Prepare the filling: heat a little of the same neutral oil in a skillet and brown the Ground Beef over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks.

Add aromatics: push the beef to the side and add the chopped Onion and minced Garlic to the pan; cook until softened and fragrant, then mix with the beef.

Build the flavor: stir in Tomato Paste to coat the meat, then add chopped Green Olives and chopped Parsley. Season to taste with more Salt if needed and freshly ground Black Pepper. Let the filling cool so it’s easy to handle.

Assemble the pastéis: divide the dough into small balls and roll each into thin rounds. Place a spoonful of the cooled filling in the center of each round, fold over and seal the edges by pressing with a fork or crimping to prevent leaks.

Fry until golden: heat enough Neutral Oil in a wide pot or deep skillet to shallow-deep fry. Fry the assembled pastéis a few at a time until blistered and deep golden on both sides, turning as needed, then drain on paper towels.

Serve: squeeze fresh Lime over the hot pastéis and offer Hot Sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy them hot and crispy, straight from the fryer.