Recipe of Pantrucas

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 250 g all-purpose flour, no baking powder (2 level cups), plus extra for dusting the counter
• 1 egg
• 120 ml warm water (½ cup), plus a little more if the dough feels stiff
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon dried ground oregano (optional, for the dough)
• For the broth:
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 medium onion (150 g), diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 400 g ground beef (or shredded chicken, or 300 g pork)
• 1 large carrot (120 g), grated or cut into thin strips
• ½ red bell pepper (60 g), sliced
• 1 teaspoon ají de color (paprika)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 medium potatoes (600 g), peeled and cut into batons
• 2.5 L beef or vegetable broth (or water with a knee bone or rib)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh chopped parsley or cilantro to serve (optional: 2 eggs to poach in the broth)

Directions

1. 1

   Mix the flour with the salt, make a well in the centre and add the egg and the warm water little by little; knead for 5 minutes until you have a smooth, elastic dough that does not stick to your hands.

2. 2

   Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes while you make the broth: resting relaxes the gluten and keeps the pantrucas from turning hard.

3. 3

   Heat the oil in a large pot and sauté the onion and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion turns translucent.

4. 4

   Add the ground beef and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking it up with the spoon, until it loses its pink colour.

5. 5

   Stir in the carrot, bell pepper, ají de color, oregano and cumin and cook for 2 minutes so they release their aroma.

6. 6

   Add the potatoes and the broth, cover the pot and cook for 12 to 15 minutes over medium heat, until the potatoes are almost tender.

7. 7

   Roll the dough out on a floured counter to 2-3 mm, almost translucent, and cut it first into strips and then into irregular 2 x 3 cm squares.

8. 8

   Turn up the heat so the broth boils and add the pantrucas in batches of 6 to 8, waiting for the pot to come back to a boil between batches.

9. 9

   Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring gently once or twice, until the pantrucas are tender and float.

10. 10

    If you like, crack 2 whole eggs into the broth, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Check the salt, serve hot and sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro.