Empanadas cu Pui Venezuelane

Heat a pan with two tablespoons of oil. First, sauté the onion and garlic, then gradually add the sweet pepper.

Add the tomato, tomato paste, and seasonings (cilantro, oregano, cumin), stir well.

Add the broth, the Worcestershire sauce, and the shredded cooked chicken. Cook covered for about 10 minutes; this stew should be moist, but not too liquid.

In a large mixing bowl, add the warm water, salt, and a pinch of sugar. Then, add all the precooked cornmeal and stir with a spoon. Let it rest for about three minutes and then start working the dough.

Knead the mixture with both hands until you have a smooth dough. This dough is quite similar to arepa dough, but it lacks the elasticity required to make empanadas, which is why you should add a little bit of wheat flour. Add the latter slowly and knead thoroughly until you have a smooth dough. The mixture should not stick to any surface; if it does, add a little more cornmeal. Form the dough into golf size balls, bigger or smaller depending on the size you want for the empanadas.

Cover a large cutting board with plastic wrap—you can cut a Ziploc bag—with a little water sprinkled on the plastic.

Form a ball of dough with your hand, about the size of a tennis ball, and flatten it on the plastic wrap until you have a circle or disk of about 15 centimeters in diameter.

Place a large spoonful of chicken filling in the center of the empanada disc.

Using both hands, lift one end of the plastic wrap to fold the empanada dough over itself, closing it and giving it its classic crescent shape.

Finally, using a bowl slightly larger than the empanada, place the dough over the edges to even them out.

Remove the excess batter from the edges.

Proceed to fry the empanadas in hot oil until golden brown.

Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on absorbent paper. These empanadas are best served hot. If you like an extra touch of spiciness, feel free to serve the empanadas with some aji hot sauce. You can also serve them with a creamy avocado sauce.