Spend enough time in the Marina Baixa and someone will tell you to try a pastisset.
In La Nucía, these small folded pastries are more than a simple sweet. Their history in this area goes back to the Arab period, when many almond and pumpkin based recipes first appeared in Spain.
Crumbly, lightly sweet and filled with pumpkin jam or sweet potato, pastissets are still made much as they were generations ago.
The secret is the pumpkin
The classic filling is cabello de ángel, made from a special winter pumpkin called Cucurbita ficifolia. Locally it is known as calabaza cidra or confitera.
This pumpkin belongs to the same plant family as courgette, cucumber, melon and watermelon. It usually weighs between 4 and 6 kilos and has a thick, hard skin. Inside, the flesh is pale yellow or almost white. Once cooked, it forms fine strands. These strands give the jam its name, which means “angel’s hair”.
Although its exact origin is not certain, experts place it in Mexico and Peru, based on language and archaeological findings in the Andean region. It arrived in Mediterranean Europe in the 17th century and later spread to India, Japan and the Philippines.
Unlike other pumpkins, it is harvested from early autumn to late winter but is not used straight away. It is stored for 6 to 12 months in a cool, ventilated place with little light. This improves its flavour.
Over the centuries, it was also used in traditional remedies. It is rich in fibre, vitamin C and carotene. Leaves, flowers and fruit were used in treatments for liver problems, skin conditions, bronchitis and post birth recovery. Today, however, its main role is in the kitchen.
How cabello de ángel is made at home
In many Costa Blanca homes, the jam is still prepared for baking for special occasions. It is also widely available ready made in supermarkets.
To make it at home you need:
- One cabello de ángel pumpkin
- Half a lemon
- One cinnamon stick
- Sugar, between 50% and 100% of the weight of the cooked pulp
Wash and cut the pumpkin into 4 or 5 large pieces. The skin is very hard, so take care. Boil the pieces gently in water for at least 1 hour until soft. Drain and allow to cool. Remove all the seeds, as there are many and some are small.
Scrape the pulp away from the skin and place it in a colander to drain fully. Separate the strands by hand and weigh the pulp. Add sugar according to taste, usually the same weight as the pulp, though some prefer 50%. Add lemon zest and a cinnamon stick. Cook gently for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring until thick. Leave to cool and store in glass jars.
Sweet potato filling, another favourite
Another classic filling is sweet potato, known as Ipomoea batatas. Originally from tropical South and Central America, it has been cultivated for around 8,000 years in what is now Bolivia and Peru. It reached Europe in the late 15th century and became an important crop in Mediterranean regions.
Sweet potato is low in fat and rich in starch, fibre, beta carotene and minerals such as potassium. Its natural sweetness comes from sucrose, glucose and fructose, making it ideal for baking.
To prepare sweet potato filling you need:
- 3 or 4 sweet potatoes
- 250 g sugar
- Lemon zest
- One cinnamon stick
Boil the sweet potatoes, drain and mash them. Cook the mash slowly with sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and a small amount of water. Stir until it becomes a smooth golden paste.
The traditional pastisset dough
Once the filling is ready, the dough is the same for both types.
Ingredients:
- 200 ml olive oil
- 50 ml mistela or sweet wine
- 30 ml anise or baking spirit
- Around 375 g plain flour, or as much as the dough takes
- Sugar and cinnamon for coating
Mix the oil, sweet wine and anise. Add flour until you have a soft dough. Knead on a work surface, adding flour as needed, until smooth and not sticky.
Divide into balls of about 60 g. Roll each one into a circle. Add a spoon of filling, fold over and seal the edges with a fork. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 190°C for about 15 minutes until golden. Leave to cool and coat in sugar and cinnamon, or just sugar.
