(vegan) Snacks make me happy

I wish I knew the translation to all Brazilian snacks. I'm not sure if they even exist though. But there's one thing that I'm pretty sure: they are amazing. Snacks are suitable for a lot of things: lunch break at school or university, to birthday and wedding parties, or just something delicious to eat when you're not that hungry to have a meal. They are very popular in Brazil and there are a lot of variety of them. They are sold everywhere too, from fancy places to shops on the roads. Unfortunately, they are never vegan. So the only ways to a vegan person like you and me to eat them are cooking or ordering.

Today I'll try to help you with the first option and I guarantee that you will be a happier person when you taste these snacks called "pasteis" (or "pastel" for the singular). A few days ago I saw a recipe in one of the Brazilian vegan blogs that I follow - A Delicia de Viver o Que Acredita - and decided to try it. The recipe is just for the dough cause you can be very creative with the filling and use basically whatever you want (just like the "sfihas" recipe that I've posted here before). I used a basic soy mince (TVP) + broccoli filling and it was delicious. But the most traditional filling is a sweet corn pure (recipe for this coming soon!).

These vegan "pasteis" go into the oven, but there are other "pasteis" that are fried and I hope I will try them soon to share the recipe here too.

Recipe - Dough

2 cup plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 full tablespoon (or 1/2 cup) vegetable (vegan) margarine
3/4 cup soy milk (or water)(I used soy milk)

Make the filling and set it aside.

Combine everything in a bowl using your hands until it forms a smooth ball that pulls away from hands (add more flour if you think it's necessary). Open the dough and cut it in circles using a glass, put the filling in the middle and close the edges with your fingers (two "silly" but important tips here, that I've learned from my grandmother: moisten your fingertip and pass on the edge before closing it and use a fork to close it and not your fingers). Brush the outside with olive oil or soy sauce (shoyo) to give a nice colour. Place them in a baking sheet and take it to the oven (200º C) for 15-20 minutes or until the "pasteis" become golden brown.





Enjoy it!

PS. Receita em portugues aqui!