Today is National Empanada Day, and were celebrating with dobladas: folded, stuffed tortillas from Guatemala (the name means “folded”*) that can also be made in the form of a classic empanada. They can be served as an appetizer (cut into wedges), lunch, light supper or snack.

Like tortillas, dobladas are made from nixtamalized masa (maize dough). They are then filled, folded over themselves and cooked, usually fried. In Guatemala, Mexico and other Latin countries, a clay griddle is used, as with tortillas.

The cooked dobladas are topped with repollo (a shredded cabbage salad) or shredded lettuce, tomato sauce† and/or hot sauce.

You can use a variety of stuffings, including beans, cheese—cottage cheese, farmer cheese, Monterey Jack, queso fresco or queso de capas)—chorizo, ground meat, mashed potatoes and pork rinds.

The recipe was winner of the U.S. Potato Board’s “Ultimate Potato Recipe” Contest, in partnership with Better Homes and Gardens magazine. A team of recipe tasters picked this winning entry out of 334 total entries!

 
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*Pupusas, are a similar food, but they are not folded over.
 

Dobladas with potatoes and chorizo. The recipe is below. Photo courtesy PotatoGoodness.com.

†Tomato sauce in Latin recipes refers to a homemade sauce, as opposed to Italian-style pasta sauce.Tomatoes are boiled with, celery, chiles, cilantro garlic, onion and sometimes red bell pepper, and cilantro roots. The result is puréed with water or chicken stock, with salt and pepper to taste.
 
RECIPE: POTATO & CHORIZON DOBLADAS

Ingredients For 10

1. PLACE potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with lightly salted water by 1 inch and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes; drain. Mash with a potato masher.

2. COOK chorizo thoroughly in a large skillet cook and drain well. Stir cooked chorizo into mashed potatoes.

3. ADD 1/4 cup of the filling to a warm tortilla and fold in half. Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas.

4. HEAT oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 to 3 dobladas to the skillet; cook 3 minutes for flour tortillas, 6 minutes for corn tortillas, or until crisp and golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining dobladas, adding additional oil as needed.

5. SERVE warm and top with shredded lettuce or cabbage slaw, sour cream, salsa, and crumbled cheese as desired.