Colombian Empanadas

For the dough, combine the masarepa, water, salt and 1 teaspoon Sazon. Start off with 2 cups of water, and add more if needed. Stir together, then knead the dough until it’s nice and smooth and slightly moist. (If it’s too dry, it will crack when you seal the empanadas.) Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

For the filling, peel the potatoes and place them in a pot with the chicken bouillon and about 3 cups water. Boil for 20 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain and place the potatoes into a bowl. Season the potatoes with the remaining Sazon and more salt if needed. Mash until most of the chunks are gone. Add the cumin and shredded beef. Fold to combine.

To form the empanadas, take a scoop of masa and make a ball about the size of a golf ball. Place the dough ball between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Press the dough ball down, until about 1/4″ thick and 3″ in diameter. Place a few teaspoons of filling in the center, then cradle the disc in your hand and pinch the empanada closed. Make sure to fully seal the edges so it doesn’t open while cooking. If you get cracks in your dough, that’s normal; just press the dough to seal.

At this point, you can freeze the empanadas for frying later. Just freeze them on a sheet of parchment or wax paper, then store in a freezer bag. To serve these, fry them in vegetable oil heated to 375ºF for 6-8 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel, and serve.