VenezuelaSide dish
Venezuelan turnovers
These Venezuelan turnovers are built around a ground beef filling, seasoned with cumin and Sazón, all tucked into a crisp yellow corn dough. The picadillo-style filling cooks down until most of its liquid has evaporated, which helps it hold its shape inside the empanada. You'll want the masarepa dough to feel moist and pliable, so it's easy to form into thin circles. Once folded and sealed, the turnovers get a quick fry until they're golden brown.
19 minServes 4
Method
3 steps · 19 min total
- 01
Make the Filling
Season the ground beef with a pinch of pepper and cumin. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until no pink remains. Stir in the chopped onion, green pepper, red pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, capers, tomato sauce, and Sazón. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated, which should take about 20 minutes. Let the filling cool completely before you start assembling the empanadas. - 02
Form the Empanadas
The masarepa dough should feel moist and hold together without sticking to your fingers. Take about ½ cup of dough and roll it into a smooth ball. On a sheet of non-stick parchment paper, flatten the ball into a 5-inch circle, aiming for about ⅛ inch thick. Spoon a generous tablespoon of the cooled meat filling onto one half of the circle, then use the parchment paper to fold the dough over, creating a semi-circle. To seal and trim the edges, press the lip of an inverted bowl firmly over the curved edge. Repeat for the remaining empanadas.
