Puerto Rican Pastelillos

 Hiya!

Today, I bring to you a top tier piece of my childhood from my mother country Puerto Rico: pastelillos! These are very easy to do, smaller versions of empanadas. As a matter of fact, all the ingredients can be bought at Krogers! 
These pastelillos are what I ate on hot days when my parents and I wanted a treat! You can make them with any meat,, cheese, or even jam. The ones below are made with my favorite, guava paste and a blend of Monterrey shredded cheese.

Puerto Rican Guava and Cheese Pastelillos

• Goya or Kikuet brand empanada dough disks
• Goya guava paste
• Monterrey cheese
• Olive or vegetable oil

Make sure before starting that the empanada disks are thoroughly thawed out and are soft. Otherwise, when folding they will break. 

On a plate, p[lace a single empanada disk. Add about a tablespoon of guava paste, and then a small handful of the cheese. Fold over once in the middle, and press down the edges with a fork.

On a pan, add about a quarter inch of oil. Let it heat up on medium heat. After about three minutes, gently put your pastelillos into the oil. Let it sit until golden brown, and then flip. Let it sit again until golden brown.

Plate on top of napkins in case of excess oil. Let it cool down for a bt, then serve and enjoy your snack!