Colombian Empanadas

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One of the easiest recipes that you will find to make delicious empanadas with lots of Colombian flavor.

To close this Christmas season I have decided to post my recipe for Colombian empanadas. This is another great treat that is very popular in Colombia, just like buñuelos and natilla. And even though Colombians tend to enjoy empanadas more during the month of December, especially us Colombians who live abroad, we also enjoy them throughout the year.

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The most popular empanadas that you will find in Colombia are the “church empanadas”, which unlike regular empanadas, these are only made with potatoes or very little meat. Each parish has a group of volunteers who prepare, cook and sell empanadas outside each church to raise funds. My grandmother proudly volunteered at one of these church groups and we would always see her selling her empanadas with a big smile to donate her two cents.

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes: I always use russet or baking potatoes because they are a lot easier to mash.

Guiso (Seasoned sauce): It’s really easy to make and you only need onions, garlic, red bell pepper and tomatoes. The red bell pepper can be optional but I love the flavor it gives this guiso.

Meat: I always use ground beef because it makes everything so much easier. However, you can also use carne en polvo, which cooked ground or shredded beef, cooked chicken or pork. Another option would be to skip the meat and only make them with potatoes.

Precooked cornmeal: It is not only good for making arepas, but it is also great for making empanadas. You can use any brand for this recipe.

Oil: The best oil for this recipe is a neutral oil with a high smoke point.

And just like each family has their own recipe for making buñuelos and natilla, the same thing happens with empanadas. Some make them with yellow corn meal, others with white corn meal, some make them with beef, others with chicken, with guiso, without guiso, with potatoes, without potatoes. But, they’re all equally delicious. The trick is to season the whole empanada, from the dough all the way to the guiso that we use for the filling. That way each bite is filled with that phenomenal Colombian flavor. What I do recommend is that you always use the same precooked corn meal that is used for making arepas.

PROCESS

Cook the potatoes in water and mash them with a fork or potato masher.
Cook the ingredients for the guiso in a little bit of oil and then add the beef until it is well cooked. If you are using cooked beef o chicken, all you have to do is mix it well with the guiso.
Now you can add the mashed potatoes and season well with salt and pepper.
To make the dough, mix the precooked cornmeal really well with hot water (this helps dissolve the corn meal better). If you want to give it more flavor, you can add butter, oil and food coloring.
To make the empanadas you will need to divide the dough in small balls. Flatten each ball with a tortilla press or the bottom of a pot to form small circles. Fill each circle with about a tablespoon of the filling, fold it in half and cut the border with a glass or small bowl.
Deep fry the empanadas in hot oil until they’re golden brown.

¡Buen provecho!