How To Eat A Salteña with Snack with Sue

Jun 24

Feature and Photos By Sue Menon @snack.with.sue

When I visited Bolivian Llama Party for the first time, I already knew I had to get a salteña. After waiting a few minutes, a chubby golden pastry with a tidy braid on top appeared. I had read online that a salteña is a savory pastry with stew inside. I was eager to try it. However, not being accustomed to salteñas, I admit I spilled some of the delicious stew inside - what a waste! I’ve grown since then. Now I can proudly say I can properly eat a salteña. Let’s take a look at how to tackle this delicious but tricky-to-eat treat!

After you order (and pro tip from this writer - get more than one!), soon the salteñas will arrive in their golden deliciousness. The dough is a golden color because of ají pepper paste, made with ají amarillo, a yellow pepper traditional to the Andean region. Let the salteñas cool for a few minutes. They are piping hot, so they are easier to handle once they’ve cooled down some.

**One side of the salteña will have a braid. Turn that towards you.**

**Take a small bite off the top to let the heat escape. If you bite from the non-braided side, it’s too easy for the stew to gush out.**

**Then it’s a process of eating the dough on the outside and sipping the stew from the inside. I was lucky enough to enjoy salteñas with an older Bolivian gentleman who was not afraid to slurp!**

Add the llajua into the salteña. I heard that at this point you can mix the llajua and the filling with a spoon, but I haven’t bothered. Just don’t pour the sauce on top of the salteña. The sauce will slide onto the tray, making it harder to enjoy it. Llajua is typically made with tomatoes, locoto, a hot pepper and quilquiña, which is an herb that can be compared to cilantro, but has its own flavor. BLP doesn’t use tomatoes, so their llajua has a bright green hue.