Salteñas (Bolivian Juicy Baked Beef Turnovers)
In short: Golden baked pastries with a braided edge, filled with a spiced, gelled beef stew that turns into a hot, juicy broth as they bake. It takes about 2 h 20 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 1 h 20 min
- Resting
- 4 h 30 min
- Total
- 2 h 20 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 385 kcal
Salteñas are Bolivia's mid-morning treat, sold warm from stalls and bakeries before lunch. A slightly sweet, golden dough wraps a spiced beef and potato stew that is set with gelatin, so the filling is solid when you fold it and turns into hot broth in the oven. Eat one upright, sipping the juices from the top first. Make the filling a day ahead, because it must be completely cold.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and scallions for 8 minutes until soft, then stir in the ají paste, cumin, oregano and paprika and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the beef, stock, salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar. Cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, until the beef is tender.
- Stir in the potatoes and peas and simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender and the liquid has reduced to about 150 ml (2/3 cup). The filling should look like a very thick stew.
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and leave for 5 minutes, then stir it into the hot filling until dissolved. Spread the filling in a shallow dish, cool, and chill for at least 4 hours, until firmly set.
- For the dough, mix the flour, sugar, salt and annatto in a large bowl and rub in the lard. Mix in the egg yolks and enough warm water to make a firm dough, knead for 8 minutes until smooth, then cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Divide the dough into 12 pieces of about 70 g (2 1/2 oz) and roll each into a thin oval about 18 cm (7 in) long.
- Spoon about 80 g (3 heaped tablespoons) of cold filling into the center of each oval, adding an egg slice, olive and raisin if you like. Brush the edges with water and fold the dough over into a half-moon.
- Press the edges together, then fold and twist them into a rope pattern along the curve, pinching firmly so the juices cannot escape. Set the salteñas on the baking sheets and brush with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until deep golden and puffed. Rest for 5 minutes, then eat each one upright, sipping the hot juices first.
Tips
- Chill the filling until completely firm, ideally overnight, or it will leak while you shape the pastry. Dice the meat and vegetables small and even so every bite has a little of everything.
- Shaped, unbaked salteñas freeze for up to 2 months. Bake them from frozen at 200°C (400°F) for 30 to 35 minutes.
Questions and answers
Why are salteñas so juicy?
Gelatin sets the stew into a solid filling that melts into hot broth as the pastry bakes. Without it the filling would be dry or would leak while shaping.
How do you eat a salteña without spilling?
Hold it upright with the folded edge on top, take a small bite from the corner and sip the hot juices first. Then eat the rest, turning it as you go.
Can I use chicken instead of beef?
Yes. Use boneless chicken thighs diced small and cook them for about 20 minutes instead of 35 to 40. Bolivian bakeries sell both beef and chicken salteñas.
How long does it take to make Salteñas (Bolivian Juicy Baked Beef Turnovers)?
About 2 h 20 min in total: 1 h of preparation and 1 h 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Salteñas (Bolivian Juicy Baked Beef Turnovers)?
About 385 kcal per serving, with 15 g of protein, 41 g of carbohydrates and 18 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 385 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 650 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
