The traditional Bolivian empanadas called pukacapas are a specialty of Cochabamba. These slighly spicy, cheese-filled round empanadas are popular during Carnival, and small versions of them are often served as party appetizers.

The word pukacapa means "red cap" or "red top" in Bolivan Quechua, the most widely spoken indigenous language of the region.  The empanadas are brushed with dark red aji chile pepper powder before they are baked, giving them a reddish hue - hence the name.  

Chopped locoto chile peppers and the herb quilquiña (Porophyllum rudirale) are often included in the filling for these empanadas.  You can find frozen locoto in Latin American grocery stores, but quilquiña is harder to find in the US.  Cilantro is a common substitute, but the flavor is not the same. 

See Also

Bolivian Cheese Empanadas - Llauchas

Sopa de Mani - Bolivian Peanut and Potato Soup

Llajua - Bolivian Hot Sauce

Ingredients

• For the pastry dough:
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 3 eggs
• 2-4 tablespoon milk
• For the filling:
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 1 tablespoon minced red chile pepper (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1-2 teaspoons aji panca chile pepper paste (or substitute red pepper flakes to taste and 1 teaspoon paprika)
• 1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup crumbled white farmers cheese, or salty queso fresco (or substitute 1/2 cup goat cheese plus 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack or whole milk mozzarella)
• 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green olives
• To brush empanadas:
• 1 tablespoon cream
• 1 teaspoon annatto powder

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: About 16 empanadas

Preparation

Place the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a medium bowl and stir briefly.  Add the butter and blend it into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or with your fingers.  In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and 2 tablespoons milk.  Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture with a fork, until it starts to come together as a dough.  Add more milk if mixture is too crumbly, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture can be kneaded into a smooth (not too wet) dough.

Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill it while you make the filling.

Place the vegetable oil, chopped onion, minced chile pepper to taste, and aji paste in a small skillet. Sauté over medium low heat until onion has softened.   Add the tomato and cook for one minute, or until most liquid has evaporated.

Place the cheese in a medium bowl.  Add the sautéed onions and tomato, the hard boiled eggs, the olives, and any desired chopped fresh herbs such as cilantro.  Mix well. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4" thickness, or thinner if possible.  Use a 4-inch diameter round cookie cutter (or whatever size you have available) to cut circles of dough. Reroll scraps and cut more circles until you have used all of the dough.

Brush the edges of one circle of dough very lightly with water.  Place 1-2 teaspoons of filling in the middle.  Top with another circle of dough, then pinch edges together firmly all the way around the edges, flattening and elongating the edges as you go.

 Fold the edge over itself to deal, forming a decorative repulgue (or use the tines of a fork to make the seal).  Place the empanada on the baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough circles. 

Mix together 1 tablespoon cream with 1 teaspoon annatto powder and brush the tops of the empanadas with the mixture.  Place the empanadas in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until they are well browned and reddish.  Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.