Colombian Empanadas

Peel the potatoes, cut into cubes and boil in salted water for 20–25 minutes until tender. Drain and lightly mash, leaving some small chunks.

In a large bowl, combine the instant corn flour, 400 ml warm water, 15 ml vegetable oil and salt. Knead into a soft, pliable dough, cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

For the filling, heat 15 ml vegetable oil in a skillet. Sauté the onion and scallions for 4–5 minutes, then add the garlic, tomato and red bell pepper, and cook for another 8–10 minutes.

Add the ground beef, salt and black pepper. Break up the meat with a spatula and cook for 10–15 minutes, until fully cooked through and any excess liquid has evaporated. Stir the filling together with the potato and cilantro, then let cool to warm.

Divide the dough into 12 balls. Flatten each ball between two sheets of plastic wrap into a thin disc about 10 cm in diameter, place 1–1½ tablespoons of filling in the center, fold in half and pinch the edge tightly to seal.

Heat the remaining vegetable oil to 180 °C in a deep pot or deep fryer. Fry the empanadas in batches of 3–4 for about 2–3 minutes, turning, until golden and crispy.

Transfer the finished empanadas to paper towels to drain excess oil, and serve hot.