See Why Saltenas Are Bolivia's Favorite Rolls

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

The South American country of Bolivia has its favorite way to start the day - these are Saltenas rolls, which are something in between the famous empanadas and Cornish pies. They are stuffed with meat, potatoes and sauce, but often with garlic, raisins, onions, peas, quail eggs and olives.

As a rule, they can be eaten until noon and sold on every corner in the villages, but in the afternoon they are nowhere to be found.

The history of Saltenas According to historian Antonio Candia, it is associated with the name of a 19th-century writer, Juana Manuela Goriti, born in the Argentine town of Saltena near the Bolivian border. She is the daughter of a wealthy family who settled in Bolivia as a result of the persecution of another dictator.

The young woman arrives there with her recipe for delicious rolls and hoping to make a living with them. Years later, Saltenas is considered an ancient Bolivian tradition, and no one remembers exactly where the recipe came from.

Saltenas are divided into sweet, normal, spicy and super-spicy. In the normal ones a moderate amount of hot pepper is added, in the spicy ones - a little more, and the super spicy ones are only for amateurs.

Because of the juicy filling, it is important to be able to eat so that you do not get dirty. The trick, say the Bolivians, is to keep Saltenas upright and eat from above, gradually making your way down.

The juiciness is achieved by preparing a stew from all the products for the filling and adding gelatin. Place in the fridge to firm up, fill the dough and while baking, melt the gelatin. This ensures that the dough will not be smooth and wet and the filling will be juicy.

From these products are obtained 50 pcs. Saltenas:

For the dough:

12 tsp flour, 1 and ½ tsp. boiling lard, 6 eggs, ½ tsp. sugar, 2-2 and ½ tsp. warm water, 3 tsp. salt (or to taste)

For the stuffing:

1 ½ h.h. lard, 1-2 tbsp. slightly hot red pepper, ½ tsp. cumin, ½ tsp. ground oregano, 1 ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp. diced garlic, 1 tsp. chopped green onions, ¼ tsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. vinegar, ½ tsp. chopped parsley, 1 tsp. boiled potatoes - cut into cubes, ½ tsp. boiled green peas, 2 tbsp. gelatin, 3 tsp. water, 1 ½ tsp. boiled meat - diced, 50 pitted olives, 12 ½ quail eggs - ¼ per bun

Method of preparation:

1. Put the lard and pepper in a saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until the fat and pepper separate;

2. Add the cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes on low heat, stirring constantly. Add the garlic, cook for 5 minutes and add the green onions;

3. Remove the pan from the heat, add the sugar, vinegar, parsley, potatoes and peas;

4. In another saucepan, soak and dissolve the gelatin in the water. Add the meat and stir;

5. Combine the contents of the two pots and allow the filling to cool;

6. Sift the flour into a bowl, pour the boiling fat and mix quickly with a wooden spatula. Cool for a few minutes and add the eggs, sugar and water with the salt. Knead the dough and let it rest for a few minutes;

7. Divide it into 50 balls and roll each into a circle of 5 mm. thickness. Put part of the stuffing, ¼ quail eggs and 1 pitted olive, lightly grease the edges of the dough with water and join them so that the seam is on top;

8. Arrange Saltenas without touching in a pan sprinkled with flour and bake them for 10 minutes in an oven at 250 degrees.

9. Serve hot.