Cuban recipe

Cuban Beef Pastelitos in Puff Pastry

Name: Cuban Beef Pastelitos in Puff Pastry
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 135 min
Ingredients: 250 g raw ground beef; 60 g onion; 40 g green bell pepper; 2 cloves garlic (about 6 g); 15 g tomato paste; 20 g pitted green olives; 30 ml dry white wine; 25 ml water; 10 ml mild olive oil; ¼ teaspoon ground cumin; ¼ teaspoon dried oregano; 2 g salt; Black pepper to taste; 500 g refrigerated puff pastry, in two sheets of at least 24 x 32 cm and about 3 mm thick; 1 beaten egg; 25 g sugar; 25 ml water for the syrup

Round puff pastry pastelitos filled with beef picadillo and olives, golden brown with a light brush of simple syrup. 12 crisp pastries.

CiberCubaNovember 11, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation30 min
Cooking50 min
Total time2 h 15 min
Servings12 pastelitos (6 servings of 2)
DifficultyMedium

Beef pastelitos are a classic of Cuban bakeries and cafés: small, crisp pastries with a well-seasoned picadillo filling, eaten at any time of day.

In this version we use puff pastry cut into circles and a beef picadillo made with sofrito and olives. The contrast between the savory filling and the light brush of simple syrup as they come out of the oven is what makes them such a Cuban afternoon snack.

Method

Picadillo

Finely chop the onion, bell pepper, garlic and olives. Sauté the onion and bell pepper in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
Add the raw ground beef, break it up with a spoon and cook for about 5-6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, wine, the 25 ml of water and the olives. Cook 8-10 minutes more, until the picadillo is fully cooked and has almost no loose liquid.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Spread the picadillo in a shallow dish and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. Do not fill the puff pastry with hot meat.

Assembly

Cut 24 puff pastry circles of 8 cm. Divide the cold filling among 12 bases, about 25-30 g on each, leaving 1 cm free around the edge.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Lightly brush the edge with egg, place the other 12 circles on top and seal the entire outer edge without flattening it. Cut a small slit in each top to let steam escape.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Refrigerate the pastelitos for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 °C without fan, or 190 °C with fan.

Baking and finishing

Brush the tops with egg, without soaking the edges. Bake 25-30 minutes, until the pastry has risen, is golden, and the base is cooked.
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While baking, boil the sugar with the other 25 ml of water for 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
When you take the pastelitos out, lightly brush them with the syrup, without soaking them. Let them rest for 10 minutes on a rack before serving.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba