In a bid to use up my turkey leftovers last week I decided to make some turkey salteñas.  Salteñas, a childhood staple of mine, are a Bolivian meat pie commonly stuffed with a spicy beef or chicken filling.  In my experience turkey is rarely used in Salteñas, but I thought that this might be a nice alternative to the usual turkey potpie.

This recipe was adapted from the Spirits of the Earth cookbook, and makes 16 medium sized Salteñas.

Filling:

Make the filling ahead of time or even the day before.  You want the filling to be fully cooled and almost solidified before you start to form the Salteñas.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp Flour
• 1 diced Onion
• 2 peeled and cubed Potatoes
• 2 cups diced Turkey (I used precooked turkey, but you can also use raw turkey, beef, or chicken)
• 1 cup Green Peas
• 1 cup Turkey Broth (you can use chicken broth if you do not have any turkey broth on hand)
• 1 tsp ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Sriracha Chili Sauce (you can also use some other type of Asian chili sauce.
• 1 tsp Peprika
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/4 cup Raisins
• 1/2 cup of pitted Olives (Kalamata or Spanish olives)

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in the bottom of a large stew pot.
2. Add the flour to create a roux.
3. Add in the onion, followed by the potatoes, turkey, and peas.
4. Add the broth.
5. Add all the spices, sugar, sauces, and seasoning.
6. Cook the ingredients together until the sauce starts to thicken, the potatoes and meat are fully cooked, and the filling starts to resemble a stew.  Add a little bit of water if the filling is getting to dry, but keep in mind that you want the liquid to congeal when it cools.
7. Remove the filling from the heat and add the raisins and olives
8. Allow the filling to cool down in the refrigerator.

Hard Boil 4 Eggs

Make these ahead of time so that they are ready to be peeled and cut into quarters prior to stuffing the Salteñas.

Dough:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of Flour (more for rolling out and dusting the dough)
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3 tbsp Vegetable Shortening
• 1 egg yoke (save the egg white for the egg wash)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup lukewarm Water

Directions:

1. Combine the dry ingredients along with the shortening in a food processor.
2. Add the egg yoke and continue to combine.
3. Slowly pour the milk and then the water into the running food processor.  The dough will be a little soft and sticky.

Forming the Salteñas

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Add 4 sliced scallions and 3 tbsp chopped parsley to the cooled filling.
3. Peel the hard boiled eggs and chop them into quarters
4. On a well floured surface, roll the dough out to a little over 1/8″ thick.
5. Cut out 16 circles that are about 6″ in diameter.
6. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle.
7. Add an egg quarter to each Salteñas
8. Lift the two far ends of the dough together encasing the filling, and twist them together sealing the Salteña.  Tuck the ends in underneath the Salteña.  This is a little difficult, and getting it right takes practice.  If you want to cheat, you can fold them over like an empanada or a large dumpling and seal the filling in that way.
9. Place the Salteñas on parchment lined cookie sheets.
10. Make an egg wash out of the remaining egg while and 1 tbsp of water.
11. Brush the Salteñas with the egg wash.
12. Bake them for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Full List of Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Butter
• 3 cups + 1 tbsp Flour
• 1 diced Onion
• 2 peeled and cubed Potatoes
• 2 cups diced Turkey (I used precooked turkey, but you can also use raw turkey, beef, or chicken)
• 1 cup Green Peas
• 1 cup Turkey Broth (you can use chicken broth if you do not have any turkey broth on hand)
• 1 tsp ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1 tbsp Sugar + 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Sriracha Chili Sauce (you can also use some other type of Asian chili sauce.
• 1 tsp Peprika
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/4 cup Raisins
• 1/2 cup of pitted Olives (Kalamata or Spanish olives)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3 tbsp Vegetable Shortening
• 4 eggs + 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup lukewarm Water
• 4 sliced Scallions
• 3 tbsp chopped Parsley