Empanadas Salteñas Recipes

SALTEñAS (BOLIVIAN BAKED EMPANADAS)

Steps:

• Filling: In a pot, add chicken breast and 2 quarts of water. Boil until chicken is cooked. Remove it and cool on a plate, then shred it. Strain the broth, and reserve 3 cups for later use.
• Clean the pot and saute the onion, green peppers, garlic, parsley, and chili if using for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add shredded chicken, chicken broth (3 cups), peas, raisins, potatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• While that is simmering, in a small bowl add the gelatin with 3 tablespoons of water at room temperature, mix and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
• After 5 minutes of simmering, taste and see if you need more salt or more chili; remove the bay leaf and add the gelatin. Mix well and cook for 1 more minute and turn off the heat.
• Let it cool a bit in the pot and then move to an airtight container. Add the eggs, mix and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Dough: In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, salt, urucú (if using), egg yolk, and lard. Add the water at room temperature, mix until everything comes together.
• On a flat, floured surface, knead for 10 minutes, or until smooth. (If you have a kitchen aid, you can use it to knead).
• Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. Cover it with a damp cloth.
• After resting, divide the dough into 20 equal portions (I weighed each ball at 50 grams - about 1.7 ounces).
• Working with one portion of dough at a time, form an even ball with circle movements between the palm of the hand and a flat surface.
• Place the dough on a plate, or on parchment paper (the color can dye the container), and cover with a damp cloth for 20 minutes.
• Working with one portion at a time, roll each ball out onto a flat, floured surface. They should be about 12 centimeters in diameter (4.7 inches), and ¼ centimeter thick (about 1/8 inches).
• Place the empanada discs in an airtight bag or container (remember that the color will dye the container, but you can cover it with parchment paper so that this does not happen) and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
• How to fill: Take out only 5 empanada discs at a time, and a little filling. Try to keep the rest in the fridge.
• If the empanada disc has a lot of flour on the edges, wet your fingertips and run a little water around it.
• Place an empanada disc in one hand or a plate, add 1 tablespoon and a half of the filling, and an olive. Bring the edges of the middle together and press with your fingers. Keep pressing the edges, but leave a 1-centimeter (1/4 inch) gap at one end.
• With both hands, press the salteña (like hugging it) so that the air comes out. Press tip that was still open, to close.
• With your index finger and thumb, press the entire edge again.
• To seal, press with your thumb and index finger, fold the corner over the edge into a triangle, and press again. Continue until the entire salteña is sealed. Bring the tip and fold it underneath the salteña.
• Place salteñas on a greased baking tray with the seal or repulgue facing upwards. Leave a space of 5 centimeters (2 inches) between each salteña.
• Brush each salteña with a mixture of 1 egg white + 2 tablespoons of water.
• Heat the oven to 245C (470F) degrees. In a gas oven, it sometimes takes 20 to 40 minutes.
• Bake the salteñas for 20 minutes and serve hot with a strawberry, banana, or peach batido (milk, fruit, and sugar).

EMPANADAS SALTEñAS RECIPE - (4.2/5)

Steps:

• • Heat oil; add onions and cook until transparent. Add cumin and paprika; fry 1 minute. • Incorporate meat; cook for 5 minutes. • Add potatoes and stock; cook until tender, then add raisins. Add salt and crushed red chili; mix well. Remove from heat; cool. • Place 2 heaping tablespoons of filling in center of dough. Add 1 olive and ¼ hard-boiled egg. Wet half of dough circle and fold over, pressing to release any air. • Fold edges to seal. Brush with egg wash and bake at 350F for 12 minutes until golden. Tips When Preparing the Stuffing: • Be sure to use a very sharp knife to hand cut the beef. Remove all sinew, excess fat, and fibers before cutting. • Cut the beef and potato cubes the same size so that they cook uniformly. • Using beef stock rather than water gives the filling a richer flavor. Use canned stock or bouillon. • For best results, chill the mixture overnight and stuff and bake the empanadas the next day. Tips to Fill & Bake • Empanadas should be chock- full of filling, but don't over- stuff. Use enough to be able to easily close the seams. • Wet only half of the dough circle. The water will form a tight seal for the pastry. Hold the pastry in your hand then gently press the air out. • When folding the empanada, imagine you are twisting a rope to make the decorative edge. • When eating empanadas straight from the oven, let sit 5-10 minutes to cool down. Be careful not to burn your mouth with steam that escapes from the pockets. Homemade Dough: You can easily make dough for 2½ dozen empanadas instead of buying shells. Combine 1-pound all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons lard (or shortening), and 1 to 1½ cups lukewarm water with 1 teaspoon diluted salt. In a bowl, add the melted fat to the flour and stir. Add 1 cup water and bring together to form a dough ball; knead until soft. Pull dough off into walnut-size balls. Roll out into circles, sprinkling with flour.

EMPANADAS SALTEñAS

Steps:

• Combine water and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and warm through, stirring until salt is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Combine sifted flour and melted margarine in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until crumbly. Add salt water gradually to the food processor and pulse until a soft dough ball forms that easily separates from the edge of the bowl. Add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, only if needed. Press dough into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease with vegetable oil. Set aside.
• Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add cubed potatoes and cook until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onions and green onions until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add red peppers and cook for 5 more minutes. Add ground beef and stir with a wooden spoon until fully browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, cayenne pepper, cumin, and paprika. Remove from heat.
• Drain potatoes and add to the filling. Toss in chopped eggs and let filling cool down for a few minutes.
• Remove pastry from the fridge and knead gently on a floured surface. Divide dough in half and roll out each piece to 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut out 3-inch circles with a pastry cutter or sharp knife and wet the edges lightly with water. Add 1 large tablespoon of filling in the center of each disc. Fold the pastry over, press edges together, and seal with a fork. Transfer empanadas to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool just a little before serving.