Season 11 - Lunch / S11L17
Pastelillos de Pizza (Pizza Turnovers)
Story
When Don Luis was a young abuelo in training, he loved visiting the town plaza where the food carts were always sizzling with treats. But one cart always stood out—it belonged to a lady named Doña Carmen, who made the crispiest pastelillos filled with everything from guava to ground beef. But one day, Don Luis spotted something different—ooey gooey cheese stretching from a pastelillo like it was a slice of pizza 🍕. She winked and whispered, “It’s my pizza invention.” From that day on, Don Luis became obsessed with mixing his love for Italian flavors with Puerto Rican crunch. Fast forward to today, and he’s sharing his kid-approved *Pastelillos de Pizza* recipe with all the flavor and none of the fuss. Perfect for lunchboxes, movie nights, or just because! 👨🏽🍳✨
Ingredients
- 10 empanada discs (Goya or similar) 🥟
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 🧀
- 0.5 cup pizza sauce 🍅
- 20 slices of pepperoni (2 per pastelillo) 🍕
- 1 egg (for egg wash) 🥚
- Optional: dried oregano & garlic powder 🌿🧄
- Oil for frying or air fryer spray 🛢️✨
Instructions
- 1Lay it down: Place the empanada discs on a clean surface. Let them come to room temp for easier folding.
- 2Sauce it up: Add ½ tablespoon of pizza sauce in the center of each disc.
- 3Fill it right: Add cheese and 2 slices of pepperoni. Don’t overstuff—tempting, but no! 😅
- 4Seal it good: Fold the disc in half to make a half-moon. Press edges with a fork to seal.
- 5Egg wash magic: Brush each pastelillo with egg wash for golden crispiness.
- 6Choose your heat:
- 7Frying*: Heat oil to 350°F and fry for 2-3 min per side until golden.
- 8Air fryer*: Spray with oil and air fry at 375°F for 8–10 min, flipping halfway.
- 9Cool it, then serve: Let sit for 2–3 minutes before biting in—cheese lava is real! 🧨🧀
About the narrator
Don Luis · A character for three generations
Don Luis is the brand character and narrator for this catalog: a warm voice for Puerto Rican family recipes tested by the real creator behind the brand. The project carries three generations of flavor and writes each recipe step by step so any kid can follow it.
Read our mission →