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Pastelitos

Cuban guava and cream cheese pastries.
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 large egg 
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, defrosted and refrigerated 
  • All-purpose flour, for rolling
  • 5-½ ounces guava paste, cut into 8 even, rectangular slices
  • ¾ cup cream cheese, softened at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp. granulated or turbinado sugar

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  • Prepare the egg wash in a small bowl, by beating the egg with a pinch of salt; set aside.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll one sheet of puff pastry into an 8 x 12-inch rectangle; roughly the size of a standard sheet of paper; keep the other puff pastry sheet in the refrigerator.
  • Dust off any excess flour and lay the rolled pastry sheet on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Dip a pastry brush into the egg wash, and paint a line in lengthwise along the center of the pastry sheet, followed by three crosswise lines, evenly spaced, forming a grid of 8 rectangles, each approximately 3-inches wide and-4 inches long.
  • Brush edges with egg wash.
  • Lay a slice of guava paste in the center of each rectangle.
  • Spread some of the cream cheese, if using, on top of the guava paste; about 1-1/2 tablespoons cream cheese per pastry.
  • Remove the second sheet of puff pastry from the refrigerator, and roll it out into an 8 x 11-inch rectangle, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
  • Lay the second sheet of puff pastry on top of the first.
  • Using the side of your palm, press around and between the mounds of filling, pressing out any excess air, and to glue the top pastry to the bottom, creating 8 even, rectangular pockets.
  • Paint the top sheet of puff pastry with egg wash.
  • Sprinkle the surface with sugar.
  • Using a knife or bench scraper, cut out and separate the 8 pastelitos following the original grid in between the indentations in the dough.
  • Trim the perimeter to neaten the rectangles.
  • The dough should still be cool to the touch; if it is warm, return the pastelitos to the refrigerator on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up before baking.
  • Bake pastelitos until puffed and golden brown; about 20 minutes.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.