BOLIVIAN SALTEÑAS

Ingredients
For The Filling
• 1 pound ground beef 95% lean meat (or 2 chicken breasts)
• 1 Packet of unflavored gelatin
• 4 cups beef broth
• 3/4 stick butter
• 2 tablespoons turmeric or Achiote - ground or in paste form - you
can find this in the Hispanic aisle at most grocery stores -
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 3 Large potatoes Diced
• 1 cup peas
• 1/2 cup parsley finely chopped
• 1/2 cup granulated white Sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 3 Hard Boiled Eggs 
• Olives

For the Dough

• 4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 Stick of Butter melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups of boiling hot water
• 1-2 teaspoons of yellow food coloring.
Instructions
For the Filling
• Cook the diced potatoes in boiling water until cooked, but still firm.


• Melt the Butter together with the Achiote or ground turmeric until
well combined and incorporated.


• Add the Onions and the Diced Potatoes and Season everything
with the Cumin, Salt, Pepper, and Oregano.


• Add the Peas and the chopped Parsley and mix well.


• Add the Sugar and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.


• Add the already cooked and seasoned ground beef and stir well.


• Add the Beef Broth and Bring to a boil.


• Add the packet of unflavored gelatin, stir well, and remove from
heat.


• Transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours

(overnight is best, but not necessary).


For the Dough

• Combine the Flour, Sugar, and Salt together in a large mixing bowl.


• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add the yellow food coloring
(this is to get the traditional color of the Salteña, which is actually
 obtained by adding a natural colorant that is only found in Bolivia).


• Add the Eggs Mixture to the Flour Mixture and mix until well
combined.


• Add the hot (almost boiling) water to the mix and knead until a
large, yellowish ball of dough is formed (it should not be too sticky,
so add more flour if necessary).


• Let sit for about 10-20 minutes and then separate into smaller,
more workable pieces.


• Roll out each piece on a flour surface and cut into large circles
(about 6 inches in diameter and about 1/8 of an inch thick)


How to Make the Salteñas

• Preheat your oven to 500 degrees


• After you have rolled out a piece of dough to the indicated size, add
a slice of hard boiled egg to the middle (an olive and raisins if
desired) and about 1/4 cup of the filling (more if you are not adding
the other filling ingredients).


• Wet the edges of the dough, and fold over the top, pinching the
edges together.


• In order to ensure that the Salteñas do not open during the cooking
process, pinch and twist the edges to form a "braided look." (This
was the hardest part for me, so they don't look perfect, but just do it
 enough so that you create a strong seal).


• You can also beat an egg and brush the Salteñas with it right before
baking to get a shinier look.


• Place on an aluminum foil lined baking pan, right side up, and bake
for 15 minutes or until browned.


• Let sit for at least 10 minutes and then enjoy.