Colombian Beef & Potato Empanadas with Ají Picante

Name: Colombian Beef & Potato Empanadas with Ají Picante
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 2¾ cups masarepa (precooked yellow corn flour); 1 lb ground beef (or half pork); 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced; 4 plum tomatoes, chopped; 4 scallions, chopped, divided; ½ white onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; ¼ red bell pepper, chopped; ½ bunch cilantro, chopped, divided; 1 jalapeño (or hotter chile), minced; 2 limes; 1 tbsp oil; oil for frying; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp garlic powder; ¼ cup white vinegar; salt; pepper

LunchColombian75 minServes 5735 kcal25 g protein

Photo: Tamorlan · CC BY 3.0 · source

Crunchy golden cornmeal empanadas stuffed with a savory beef, potato and hogao filling, dunked in a bright, spicy cilantro-lime ají. Colombia's favorite street snack makes a great lunch.

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Ingredients

2¾ cups masarepa (precooked yellow corn flour)
1 lb ground beef (or half pork)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
4 scallions, chopped, divided
½ white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ red bell pepper, chopped
½ bunch cilantro, chopped, divided
1 jalapeño (or hotter chile), minced
2 limes

From your pantry: 1 tbsp oil, oil for frying, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garlic powder, ¼ cup white vinegar, salt, pepper.

Instructions

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, 15 minutes, then drain and mash roughly. Make the ají: stir together the jalapeño, half the cilantro and scallions, the vinegar, juice of 1 lime, ¼ cup water and a pinch of salt.
Cook the onion in 1 tbsp oil over medium-low for 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes, remaining scallions, garlic, bell pepper, cumin, salt and pepper and cook 10 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up, until fairly dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Fold in the potatoes and remaining cilantro and let cool.
Mix the masarepa with the turmeric, garlic powder and 1 tsp salt, then add 3 cups warm water and knead until smooth. Cover and rest 15 minutes.
Roll walnut-size balls of dough very thin between two sheets of plastic (a cut-open zip bag), add a heaped tablespoon of filling, fold the plastic over to make a half-moon, and press the edges with a fork.
Heat 2 inches of oil to 360°F and fry 4 or 5 at a time until crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and serve hot with the ají and lime wedges.

Tip: Keep the dough moist and roll it thin: thick dough makes heavy empanadas. Freeze shaped, uncooked empanadas on a tray and fry them straight from frozen.