Pastel de chucho

Pastel de chucho (English: Stingray pie; see "chucho") is a delicacy made of stingrays, common in Eastern Venezuela and Margarita. The creole dish is described as "gourmet".[1][2]

The dish is traditional food in the South American country of Venezuela, and a very common dish in Eastern coastal areas. Its popularity may be attributed to how it is both sweet and salty, its famous gourmet flavoring.[1][2][3] The pie looks, and is constructed, like a lasagna.[4]

Preparation

The pie is made from stingray/manta ray and plantains. However, in areas where it isn't easy to find rays, Venezuelans will use a different kind of flat fish to create the dish,[3] like dogfish[1][2] or small sharks[5] (like the Mexican pan de cazón). The dish often also contains various vegetables and spices, cheese,[3] and molasses.[1]

The ray or fish is shredded to make the pie, giving it a distinct texture.[1] The ingredients are fried to make the pie.[1][3]

History

Though having a strong local tradition and identity, the dish has only been in existence since the 1980s.[2] Also, whilst common all year round it is typically an Easter[2] or Lent meal.[5]

A chef famous for making the dish is Rubén Santiago.[4][5]

In 2011 a short animated film was released, called Hoy no se hace pastel de chucho (English: No Stingray Pie for Dinner Tonight). The film focuses on an ecological message encouraging the people of Margarita and Nueva Esparta to stop hunting stingrays for food.[6]

There are usually stingray pies at the Margarita Gastronomy Festival, and in 2013 the festival organised an attempt to cook the largest ever pie; this was denounced by environmentalist groups.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Pastel de Chucho Margariteño". Cookpad. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Pastel de chucho, un delicioso plato típico de la Semana Santa (+receta)". Noticias 24. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Pastel de Chucho (Pescado)". Que Rica Vida. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  4. 1 2 Patricia Campos. "Pastel de Chucho para Gisela Castañeda". Cocina y Vino. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 "Receta de Pastel de Chucho Margariteño". El Rincón de la abuela venezola. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  6. ↑ ""Hoy no se hace pastel de Chucho" se estrena este viernes". Mas verde digital (in Spanish). 3 August 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  7. ↑ ""El pastel de chucho más grande" atenta contra la pesca sostenible en Margarita". Ecosopio Web (in Spanish). 25 September 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
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