Crafting Bolivian Saltenas: A Step-By-Step Guide To Perfection

Bolivian salteñas are a type of baked empanada, a traditional Bolivian street food with a sweet and buttery pastry crust and a juicy filling. They are often filled with chicken, beef or a combination of meat and vegetables, and are known for their brothy stew, which can be messy to eat! The key to a good salteña is a gelatin-rich broth, which is sticky and concentrated, and sets the filling into a gel.

How to make the filling

The filling for Bolivian salteñas is a juicy, brothy stew. It can be made with chicken, beef, or no meat at all. The following instructions are for a chicken filling, but beef can be substituted.

Ingredients:

• Chicken thighs (bone-in and skin-on)
• Chicken wings
• Chicken fat
• Onion (diced)
• Garlic (minced)
• Red bell pepper (roughly chopped)
• Aji panca powder (or cayenne)
• Ground cumin
• Hot paprika
• Dried oregano
• Black pepper
• Russet potato (peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch dice)
• Golden raisins
• Frozen peas
• Chicken stock or beef stock
• Olive oil
• Beef chuck or round (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• Red bell pepper (diced)
• Aji panca paste
• Smoked paprika
• Gelatin
• Pitted green olives

Method:

First, make the broth by roasting the chicken wings in a hot oven. Pour off the rendered chicken fat and reserve for cooking. Deglaze the pan with a splash of water and scrape up the fond with a wooden spoon.

Simmer the wings in just enough water to cover them for about three and a half hours. Alternatively, cook in a pressure cooker for one and a half hours. Add the vegetables (onion, garlic, and bell pepper) and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Strain the stock and reduce to about five cups.

Next, make the stew by searing the chicken thighs in the reserved chicken fat. Set the thighs aside and add the diced onion and minced garlic to the pot. Cook until translucent and tender. Add the spices (aji panca, cumin, paprika, oregano, and black pepper) and cook until fragrant.

Increase the heat to high and add the chicken wing stock, diced potato, and raisins. Bring to a simmer and return the chicken thighs to the pot. Cover and gently simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Let the stew cool slightly, then pick the meat from the bones and tear into small bite-sized chunks. Discard the bones and skin. Stir the meat, along with a handful of peas, back into the stew. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish and refrigerate until fully chilled and set.

Finally, assemble the salteñas by placing a scoop of chilled filling in the centre of each disc of dough (see the separate instructions for making the dough). Top with a piece of hard-boiled egg and two olive halves. Brush the edges of the dough with egg white and lift the edges up and over the filling, pinching them closed to form a plump crescent. Crimp the seam shut to prevent the filling from escaping while baking.

How to make the dough

The dough for Bolivian salteñas should be heartier than your usual pie dough, as it needs to be able to contain a lot of juicy filling without cracking or breaking. Traditionally, a hot water pastry is used for stability and strength. The use of hot water in the crust causes the starch granules to quickly swell and drink in liquid while you’re mixing the dough, so it doesn't soak up the broth later. It also quickly develops gluten without kneading, giving the pastry enough structure and elasticity to form the salteñas without turning the pastry tough or bready.

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon of achiote, annatto, or sweet paprika for colour
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter, melted
• 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of boiling hot water
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of yellow food colouring (optional)
• 1 egg, beaten (optional)

Method

• Combine the flour, sugar, and achiote, annatto, or paprika in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined.
• Add the melted butter to the flour mixture and mix thoroughly with your hands. Once fully incorporated, it will feel similar to streusel, holding together in large clumps when squeezed but easily crumbling back into wet sand.
• Add 1 cup of boiling water to the flour mixture and mix until a dough starts to form. Add more water, a little at a time, until a large, yellowish ball of dough is formed (it should not be too sticky, so add more flour if necessary).
• Let the dough sit for about 10-20 minutes and then separate it into smaller, more workable pieces.
• Roll out each piece on a floured surface and cut into large circles (about 6 inches in diameter and about 1/8 of an inch thick).
• If you want a shinier crust, brush a mixture of 1 egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of milk, or just the beaten egg white, onto each salteña before baking.

How to assemble the salteñas

Take one portion of the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a circle about 5 to 8 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick.

Add a slice of hard-boiled egg to the middle, along with a black olive and raisins if desired, and about 1/4 cup of the filling (more if you are not adding the other filling ingredients).

Brush the edges of the dough with egg white and then lift the edges and pinch them closed to form a plump crescent with a seam running across the top.

To seal the salteñas, you can either:

• Pinch and twist the edges to form a "braided look".
• Scallop the edges by folding a small piece of dough over the seam and pressing gently, then folding another small piece of dough over the seam so that it overlaps the first piece; repeat until you have sealed the half circle.
• Press a fork around the edges.

Place the salteñas on a baking sheet, braided-side up, and transfer to the freezer to chill for at least an hour before baking, or until fully frozen for long-term storage.

For a shiny finish, brush the pastries with egg white just before transferring them to a hot oven.

How to store the salteñas

Salteñas are best stored in the freezer, either for the short term if you plan on baking them soon, or for the long term. You can bake them straight from the freezer when you're ready to eat them.

If you want to store your salteñas in the freezer, you should place them on a sheet tray and transfer them to the freezer to chill for at least an hour before baking, or until fully frozen for long-term storage.

You can also store cooked salteñas in the fridge for a few days. However, it is important to note that salteñas are very juicy and can stain your clothes if you're not careful.

One comment on a recipe recommends cooking the salteñas and then freezing them, rather than freezing the uncooked pastries. This advice comes from a user's Bolivian mother, who they claim makes the best salteñas in the world.

How to cook the salteñas

Once you have prepared your filling and dough, you can begin assembling your salteñas.

Take your dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface. You want to achieve a circle that is about eight inches in diameter and just an eighth of an inch thick. It is important to ensure your dough is not stuck to the surface—try using an offset spatula to check.

Add your filling to the centre of the dough. For an authentic Bolivian experience, top with a slice of hard-boiled egg, a couple of olive halves, and a sprinkling of raisins.

Brush the edges of the dough with egg white, then lift and pinch closed to form a plump crescent. You can also twist and crimp the edges to create a "braided look" and ensure the salteña is well sealed.

Place the salteñas on a baking sheet and transfer to the freezer to chill for at least an hour. They can also be stored in the freezer long-term at this stage.

When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to between 450 and 500°F (230-260°C). Brush the pastries with egg white and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the seam is crisp and blackened.

Your salteñas are now ready to serve! But be careful—one wrong bite will leave hot broth bursting through the pastry. In Bolivia, the person who dribbles the most from their salteña is stuck with the bill!

Frequently asked questions