Pasteles are a traditional Spanish Caribbean Christmas food. Similar to tamales they are banana or plantain leaves filled with a variety of stuffings, tied and steamed. They are often made communally by groups of women, some chopping, some stuffing, some wrapping. A Venezuelan dish that resembles pasteles is hallacas; in Nicaragua the equivalent is nacatamales.
A Puerto Rican song proclaims:
Si me dan pasteles,
Dénmelos calientes,
Qui pasteles fríos,
Empachan la gente.
If you serve pasteles
Bring them steaming hot.
I’ll end up with heartburn
If steaming hot they’re not.