Cook this: Pastel ‘Gloria’ – guava paste and feta cheese pastries – from Colombiana

“I don’t know who Gloria is, but it’s a heavenly bite,” says Mariana Velasquez

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To try another recipe from the book, check out: Roast Chicken and Cilantro Empanadas; and lomito de cerdo al tamarindo y menta (braised pork loin with tamarind and mint).

Accompanied by a cup of coffee, Pastel Gloria is a Colombian afternoon classic. “I don’t know who Gloria is, but it’s a bite of heaven,” says Mariana Velásquez of the popular puff pastry.

The crispy golden pockets are usually filled with layers of guava paste, cheese, and aarequipe (slow-cooked caramel or dulce de leche; Velásquez includes traditional and quick atequipe recipes in Colombiana).

Thought to have Arabic origins, Pastel Gloria is a staple in the South American country, especially in “cold weather towns” – like Bogotá, Velásquez’s hometown – and the coffee region.

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Here, she uses store-bought puff pastry, making it a quick cut-fill-bake dessert. “It’s so good; it’s one of my favorite things,” says Velásquez. “And I added some feta just to have a little more oomph in the taste – to add a little dimension to the flavor.”

PASTEL ‘GLORIA’

PASTRY WITH GUAVA PASTE AND FETA CHEESE

1 lb (450 g) box of frozen puff pastry sheets (my favorite brand is Dufour), thawed
All-purpose flour, for sprinkling
7 oz (200 g) guava or quince paste, cut into 16 squares, 1/8 x 1 inch thick (see note), or 1 cup marmalade of your choice
4 oz (115 g) feta cheese, patted dry and cut into 16 squares, 1/8 x 1 inch thick
1 beaten egg
2 tablespoons of Demerara sugar

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Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 ° F (190 ° C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2nd step

Unfold one of the puff pastry sheets, keeping the second covered in the refrigerator. (The standard sheet size is an 8 x 8 inch square.) Sprinkle the countertop with flour and roll out the dough into a 12 x 12 inch square. Cut out 16 discs using a 3-inch round cookie cutter or drinking glass and transfer the discs to one of the prepared baking sheets.

Step 3

Place a stacked piece of guava paste with a piece of cheese in the center of half of the discs. Brush the outer rim with the egg wash and cover with an empty disc. Press edges with fingertips, brush with gilding and sprinkle with Demerara sugar.

Step 4

Transfer to the preheated oven and bake until puffed and golden, 18 to 20 minutes.

Step 5

Repeat with the remaining leaf. Serve hot.

Makes: 16 pastels

To note: Guava and quince paste can be very sticky. For an easier cut, lightly oil or spray your knife with cooking spray.

Recipe and reprinted image of Colombiana. Copyright 2021 by Mariana Velásquez. Photography by Gentle & Hyers. Posted by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins.