empanadas with so many combinations—you can turn anything into a little pie or savoury cake.” Diana and her family often serve empanadas with ají, a spicy homemade sauce made with onions, cilantro, and chilli peppers. “It brings everything to life—and honestly transports you to another place,” she adds. Diana came to Canada with her family, which includes her husband and their little boy. “We decided to move here to give ourselves a new life—a different kind of life,” says Diana. During their time in Byron, Diana and her family have met wonderful people, discovered beautiful places, and found new ways of thinking that have changed their lives forever. “We’re so grateful to live here—and especially here in Byron, where people welcomed us with such kindness and warmth,” Diana shares. “I hope this little recipe gives you a small glimpse into who we are and into one of our favourite things—food!”
Life, Empanadas and New Beginnings Diana Paola Cárdenas Perez moved to Byron two years ago from Colombia, a place where food is one of the ways they express love. Today, Diana shares her recipe for empanadas con ají, a dough-filled treat Colombians enjoy as a snack, dinner, or even brunch.
Typically, empanada dough is made using corn flour, then formed into half- moons, filled with cooked rice and chicken, or potatoes and beef, and fried until golden and crispy.
“You can be creative and use anything as the filling, like mushrooms with cheese, or pineapple with cheese and ham,” explains Diana. “In Colombia, we have many kinds of
Colombian Empanadas with Ají (Spicy Sauce) Submitted by Diana Paola Cárdenas Perez Ingredients for the Empanadas For the dough:
Ingredients for the Ají (Spicy Sauce): ½ cup cilantro finely chopped ½ cup green onion chopped 1 small tomato finely chopped 1 fresh chili or jalapeño finely chopped
2 cups pre-cooked cornmeal (also known as masarepa, a finely ground corn flour. e.g. PAN, which is one brand that can be found at Walmart or Latin stores in London.) 2 ½ cups warm water
½ cup water Salt to taste Optional: a squeeze of lime juice Instructions Make the dough: Mix cornmeal, warm water, salt, and oil until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes. Prepare the filling: In a pan, sauté onion, garlic, and meat with cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix with the mashed potatoes. Shape the empanadas: Flatten a small ball of dough into a circle, add filling, fold into a half-moon, and press edges to seal. Heat oil and fry until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towel. Make the ají: Mix all ají ingredients in a bowl. Let sit for 10 – 15 minutes so the flavours blend.
1 tsp salt 1 tbsp oil For the filling:
2 medium potatoes peeled, boiled, and mashed 1 cup cooked ground beef or chicken shredded 1 small onion finely chopped 1 garlic clove minced 1 tsp cumin Salt and pepper to taste Oil for frying
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Page 7 Byron Villager October 2025
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