Saltenas

Instructions

1. 1 Make the filling first as it must chill overnight. Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion for five minutes. Add the diced chicken, cumin, and ají paste, cooking until the chicken is done. Add the potatoes and stock, simmering for fifteen minutes until potatoes are tender.
2. 2 Dissolve the gelatin in three tablespoons of warm water, then stir it into the hot filling along with the peas, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and sliced olives. Season well with salt and pepper. Transfer to a container and refrigerate overnight until firmly set.
3. 3 Make the dough by rubbing the cold butter into the flour, sugar, annatto powder, and salt until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and enough warm water to bring it together into a smooth, pliable dough. Wrap in cling film and rest for thirty minutes.
4. 4 Preheat the oven to 220C (425F). Divide the dough into twelve equal portions. Roll each into a thin oval about fifteen centimetres long and ten centimetres wide, with the edges slightly thinner than the centre.
5. 5 Place two generous tablespoons of the cold, set filling on the lower half of each oval. The filling should be firm and jellylike, making it easy to handle. Fold the top half over and pinch the edges together tightly, then crimp decoratively with a rope pattern.
6. 6 Place the salteñas upright on a lined baking tray with the crimped seam on top, leaning them slightly against each other for support. Brush with beaten egg for a glossy finish.
7. 7 Bake for fifteen to eighteen minutes until the pastry is deep golden and slightly puffed. The gelatin inside will melt during baking, creating the signature juicy, brothy interior. Let cool for just three minutes before eating — carefully, as the inside will be molten hot.