Bolivian Recipes: Tucumanas

Tucumanas are hearty and deep-fried Bolivian empanadas, stuffed with a mixture of minced meat, potatoes, bell peppers, and onions.

• Ingredients for the filling:
  
• 300 grams of ground or chopped meat 
  
• ½ kilogram of potatoes / about 5 medium-sized potatoes
  
• 1 Bell Pepper
  
• 1 onion
  
• 2 cloves of garlic
  
• 1 teaspoon Aji Amarillo
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons of red pepper
  
• ½ teaspoon of oregano
•  Salt and Pepper for seasoning
  
• 1 spoon of sugar
  

• Ingredients for the dough:
  
• 400 grams of flour (equivalent to 3 cups)
  
• 25 g butter
  
• 1 cup of hot water
  
• 1 ½ sugar spoons
  
• 1 tablespoon
  
• Salt
  
  
• Frittieröl.
  
• Kitchen paper

• Preparation of the filling:
  
• 1. Cut onion, bell pepper, and potatoes into cubes
  
• 2. Boil the potatoes with a little salt
  
• 3. Caramelize the onion with 1 tablespoon of sugar until the onion is golden yellow.
  
• 4. Sear the meat in a spoonful of oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the two cloves of garlic and stir constantly.
  
• 5. Add chopped bell peppers
  
• 6. Let it cook with a little water. Add some oregano while stirring constantly and let it cook for another two minutes.
  
• 7. Add caramelized onions and boiled potatoes. 

• Preparation of the dough:
  
• 1. Mix flour, sugar, and salt well together. 
  
• 2. Add the butter and hot water. Mix with a spoon and then knead (about 15 min) until the dough no longer sticks to your hands.
  
• 3. Form small balls of 60-65 grams.
  
• 4. The remaining dough is used to check the oil.
  
  
• The Tucumanas fill:
  
• 1. Roll the dough into a round shape of 15-17 cm.
  
• 2. Add 2 spoons of Jigote to each lid.
  
• 3. To close the Tucumanas, the air is removed by pressing them together with your hands. They can be pressed or sealed with a fork. 4. Fry in hot oil.