Pastel com Diabo Dentro

About This Recipe

Pastel com Diabo Dentro — 'pastry with the devil inside' — are small, crispy deep-fried pastry parcels filled with spiced tuna, tomato, and the Diabo (devil): a fiery bird's eye chilli. These ubiquitous street snacks are sold at markets, bars, and beaches across the islands.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 300 gplain flour
• 150 mlwarm water
• 200 gcanned tuna in olive oil, drained
• 2 mediumtomatoes, finely diced
• 2 smallbird's eye chillies, finely chopped
• 1 pinchsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pastry

   Mix flour, salt, and warm water into a firm dough. Knead 5 minutes until smooth. Rest covered for 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the filling

   Combine tuna, tomato, chilli, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. The filling should be fairly dry — drain any tomato liquid.

3. 3

   Fill and seal

   Roll dough thin (2 mm). Cut into 10 cm rounds. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling on one side, fold over, and crimp edges firmly with a fork.

4. 4

   Fry

   Deep-fry at 180 °C for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden. Drain on paper and serve hot.

Variations

• •

  Add chopped hard-boiled egg to the filling for a more substantial pastel.

• •

  Bake at 200 °C for a lighter version, though less crispy.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Reheat in an oven at 180 °C for 8 minutes — do not microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions