Empanadas Paisas Colombianas | Colombian Empanadas

corn flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: all-purpose flour

Whole wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often cheaper.

vegetable oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Olive oil is healthier, while canola oil is cost-effective.

salsa

🥗Healthier: fresh pico de gallo

💰Cheaper: store-bought salsa

Pico de gallo is fresher, while store-bought is convenient.

Start by boiling 4 potatoes in cold water with the skin on and a tablespoon of sugar to soften them faster. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes until soft.

In a pot, heat a few teaspoons of sunflower or canola oil (not olive oil).

Add chopped red onion, garlic, and chopped celery to the pot and sauté until translucent.

Add diced tomato and small criolla potatoes to the mixture, allowing them to break down into a purée.

Season with 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of turmeric, and black pepper to taste. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Add 1 pound of ground beef to the mixture and cook until browned, about 20 minutes, adding a little water if necessary to prevent it from getting too salty.

Once the potatoes are cooked, mash them with the skin on and mix them into the beef mixture, letting it cook for another 10 minutes. Allow the filling to cool before assembling the empanadas.

For the dough, mix 1 cup of masarepa (corn flour), 1 tablespoon of yuca starch, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a little cumin in a bowl.

Add the juice of 1/2 lime and gradually add water until the dough is soft and not sticky, adjusting the amount of water as needed.

Divide the dough into small balls, about the size of a golf ball, and flatten each ball into a thin circle.

Place a spoonful of the beef and potato filling in the center of each circle, fold over to create a half-moon shape, and seal the edges by pressing with fingers or a fork.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or a pot to maximum temperature, then reduce slightly before frying the empanadas.

Fry the empanadas for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy, checking for doneness by the reduction of bubbling in the oil.

Remove the empanadas from the oil and let them drain on paper towels.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: