Pastelles

Ingredients

 * 2 cups ground corn flour ( this is not cornstarch )
 * 1 ounce margarine
 * 1 tablespoon oil
 * 2 tsp salt
 * 2 tsp sugar
 * 4 cups boiling water
 * banana leaves ( you can use foil, but pastelles taste better wrapped in banana leaves)

Filling

 * 2 lbs lean meat - ground - ( this can be ½ beef, ½ pork - or only beef, or chicken)
 * 6 red and green chilli peppers - cut up very small- seasoning peppers, not hot
 * 1 clove garlic grated
 * 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
 * 2 tablespoons capers
 * 2 tablespoons raisins - whole
 * 2 tablespoons raisins - chopped
 * 3 onions - minced
 * 1 bunch herbs for pastelles ( Spanish thyme, fine leaf thyme, french thyme, broad leaf thyme, basil remove stems, - use one tsp of each, cut up very small
 * 8 olives - cut into very small pieces
 * 6 olives, cut up and added to one cup of water to make stock
 * a little tomato ketchup

Directions

 * 1) Put ground corn into a mixing bow.
 * 2) Cut margarine into small pieces and add to corn.
 * 3) Add oil, salt, sugar.
 * 4) Pour boiling water over mixture ( use 3.
 * 5) 5 cups at first ), then mix quickly with a round edged knife.
 * 6) Mixture must be smooth, but not sticky.
 * 7) Taste and add more sugar or salt, if needed.

Filling

 * 1) Heat oil, add garlic- fry until golden brown- remove garlic.
 * 2) Add meat and sauté until light brown.
 * 3) Add ketchup and worcestershire sauce.
 * 4) Turn heat low and simmer for about 5 mins.
 * 5) Add pastelle herbs, chopped chilli peppers and continue simmering until meat is tender.
 * 6) Add stock and continue to simmer until filling is tender and moist.
 * 7) Taste to see if seasonings need to be added.

Assembling the pastelles

 * 1) Prepare banana leaves - wilt leaves in boiling water, take out and wipe dry- then cut up into sizes to wrap pastelles in.
 * 2) Rub leaves with oil ( you can colour the oil with roo-coo (anatto) by putting the seeds into a piece of muslin, tied together, then soaked in hot oil ( not boiling oil otherwise the oil will turn black) - this is optional.
 * 3) Place a small ball of corn mixture on the oiled leaf, pat down.
 * 4) Place a piece of muslin over the patted down mixture and roll out thinly, using either a rolling pin or pastelle press.
 * 5) Place a tablespoon of meat filling in the centre, ad a little cut raisins, olives and capers.
 * 6) Fold half of leaf over ( lengthways ) in such a manner that the corn mixture also folds completely over the meat filling, then bring other half of the leaf over to cover.
 * 7) Use a second leaf on opposite grain, tightly fold in sides and tie up with a piece of twine.
 * 8) At this stage, you can also use a piece of foil instead of the second leaf.
 * 9) Steam pastelles covered in a colander or similar container over boiling water for 1½ hours.
 * 10) To reheat, steam pastelles just before serving.