Page 11 - AHATA

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local Saturday 8 November 2025
A quick snack for the road

Learn how to make the Aruban Pastechi!

(Oranjestad)—If you ever been using or on a clean surface with
to Aruba before, you probably some flour lightly dusted until its
heard of (and even tried) the Aru- surface is smooth. You’ll know your
ban Pastechi. Beloved by young dough is ready when it doesn’t
and old, this tasty treat is a staple stick to your hands or the surface
for party snacks, a quick lunch or on which you’re kneading it. Let
even breakfast! your dough rest covered for 15-20
minutes.
Here’s how to make the Pastechi
dough. After resting, divide your dough
Ingredients: into approximately 100 gram balls
• 4 cups of wheat flour and roll it flat with a rolling pin. The
• 1 tbsp baking powder (if us- thickness of the pastechi depends
ing self-rising flour, omit baking on your taste, but the average thin-
powder) ness would be around ¼ inch or so.
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar Filling for the pastechis varies ac-
• 0.5 cup of melted butter cording to your taste. The easiest
• 1 cup water and most common filling you’ll find
• 1 egg in Aruba is a simple cheese filling.
For this, we usually use shredded is ready for the fryer! Here in Aruba we enjoy pastechi at
Directions: Gouda, but feel free to use any any time of the day, but it has be-
Sift your flour into a bowl and add cheese that melts well when frying If you want to store some pastechis come almost tradition to eat paste-
all the dry ingredients before giving the pastry. for later use, you can freeze them. chis for breakfast on the way to
it a quick mix. Next add the butter, A good tip is to place a piece work. Many roadside snack trucks
water and egg and mix until thor- Place the filling on your rolled out of wax paper in between each sell pastechi from early morning
oughly combined. At this point, piece of dough, fold it in half and pastechi if you are to store them to noon, and offer a variety of fill-
your dough will start to get sticky; pinch the sides shut with a fork. If on top of one another. This way the ings like cheese; ham and cheese;
time for an arm workout. Knead you have a folding tool, feel free to pastechis don’t stick to each other ground beef and pulled chicken to
your dough into the bowl you are use it for this process. Your pastechi when defrosting. name a few.q

Another Treasure of Aruba’s Beaches: Sea Glass!

It is hard to imagine this hap- 10 to 30 years to make sea Sometimes as the sea glass sighted mistakes we were (Amstel & Polar beer), green
pening today, but years ago glass. is passed through fire, it be- making that could have po- (Heineken & Balashi beer)
people dumped all kinds comes fire glass, the rarest of tentially ruined these beau- and clear glass which are
of refuse straight into the The name for any piece of sea glass with certain inclu- tiful beaches. But thanks the soft much loved “soft
ocean, including old cars, glass that finds its way to the sions, just like precious gems. to natural processes, the drink” bottles.
and their household gar- ocean and tumbles around ocean transformed the trash
bage, which of course in- in the water long enough is For years, the water beat into the sea glass. If you like to see the sea glass
cluded lots of glass. Over the “Sea glass. against the different kinds of for yourself, and be in awe of
next 30 years the pounding trash being dumped. Glass, Each colored gem on the the power of nature, rent a
waves cleaned the beach, The colorful pieces of glass household appliances and beach has its own story. car or jeep and go explore
by breaking down every- are being used for decora- even motor parts were dis- our deserted beaches on
thing but glass and pottery. tion, handcrafts and jewelry! carded on the beach. The The ruby red glass stones the north side of the island.
The pounding waves washed waves and weather condi- are typically from old car Make it a fun family day!
the trash up and down, back Once glass makes its way tions wore down the over- tail-lights.
and forth. Tons of polished, into the ocean, the glass is whelming amount of gar- Even if we didn’t mean to
broken glass pieces were broken up into shards and is bage in the water, creating Then, the sapphire rocks pollute the Beaches how we
created by the pounding tumbled around in the wa- millions of beautiful smooth are the remnants of bro- did, it is inspiring to see just
surf. These smoothened, ter, where sand and other rocks. ken apothecary bottles. how the earth can correct
colored glass particles then rocks act like sandpaper to The most common and the our mistakes.
settled along the sea shore in smooth out its rough edges. It’s hard to believe the short- easiest to find are the brown
millions, and that is why you Funny, how trash can
can find these beautiful and change into treasures!
colorful pieces on the north
shore beaches of Aruba. Everybody knows that you
are not allowed to take local
Especially on the strip on shells home, but the people
white sand between the working at the airport have
famous Natural Bridge” and no problem you taking sea
the huge red anchor close glass home. A few of those
to “Grapefield” beach you pieces make great souve-
will be able to find your own nirs. You can place them in a
pieces of sea glass. The sea wine glass or large bottle for
glass that was created is the decoration and every time
product of a very long and you look at it a smile will light
interesting process. up your face thinking back
of your unforgettable Aruba
It can take anywhere from vacation! q