Pastel Sanpedrino: Huilense Meat and Rice Corn Pie
Pastel Sanpedrino (or Torta de San Pedro) is a magnificent, savory corn pie traditionally prepared during the famous San Pedro festivities in the Huila department. It consists of a rustic corn dough crust filled to the brim with a rich, moist stew of rice, vegetables, and assorted meats.
The secret to this complex, 4.5-hour culinary masterpiece is cooking the rice and vegetables directly in the broth left over from simmering the marinated meats. Baking it all inside a thick corn dough crust in a clay pot locks in the incredible flavors and creates a stunning centerpiece for any celebration.
Pastel Sanpedrino (Huilense Corn Pie)
The ultimate festive dish from Huila! A savory pie made with a fresh corn dough crust, stuffed with moist rice, peas, potatoes, beef, pork, and sausage.
Ingredients
- ½ lb Threshed white corn Maíz blanco trillado
- ½ cup Ground fresh cheese curd Cuajada
- 2 lbs Beef Leg, hip, or loin
- 2 lbs Pork
- ½ lb Longaniza sausage
- 1 cup Raw rice
- ½ cup Green peas Tender and cooked
- 2 Large potatoes
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 Onion
- 2 Scallion stalks
- 1 tablespoon Food coloring/Achiote Color Rey
- 1 glass Red wine
- ½ tablespoon Oregano
- 1 tablespoon Parsley
- 1 tablespoon Vinegar
- ½ cup Water
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Two days before cooking, soak the corn in water. After two days, boil it in clean water over medium heat for 1.5 hours. Once cooked and cooled, drain it and pass it through a grinder. Mix this ground corn with salt and the ground cuajada until you achieve a smooth, homogeneous dough.
- Marinate the meats: In a small bowl, prepare a marinade by mixing the crushed garlic, chopped parsley, pepper, vinegar, and salt. Rub this mixture thoroughly over the beef and pork, letting them marinate for 1 hour.
- Cook the meats: Place the marinated meats and the 1/2 cup of water in a large pot over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 40 minutes. Remove the meats (reserving the broth in the pot), drain them, and brown them on a grill while basting with their own juices. Chop the grilled meats into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Prepare the filling: In the pot with the reserved meat broth, add the raw rice, the cooked peas, and the peeled/chopped potatoes. Cook over medium heat for about 45 minutes until you get a moist, wet rice. Remove from heat and fold in the chopped grilled meats and the chopped raw longaniza sausage.
- Assemble the pie: Heavily grease a flat clay mold or baking dish. Line the bottom and walls with a medium-thick layer of the prepared corn dough. Pour the entire rice and meat filling into the center. Cover the top with more dough, sealing the edges. Make a few small slits on the surface so steam can escape during baking.
- Bake and serve: Place the assembled pie into a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for 1.5 hours. Remove, let it set slightly, and enjoy this spectacular dish!
Video
Notes
- Festival Tradition: This pie is the gastronomic centerpiece of the National Bambuco Pageant and Folkloric Festival (better known as El Festival de San Pedro), the most important cultural celebration in the Huila department.
- Classic Pairings: Because it is deeply tied to the festival, it is almost exclusively served and eaten alongside the region’s famous Asado Huilense (marinated and roasted pork).
- Preservation: To keep the pie fresh for several days, locals traditionally wrap the entire baked pie in roasted plantain leaves (or aluminum foil) and store it in a cool, dark place rather than refrigerating it.
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