Recipe for cooking hallacas

Recipes from Peru, Brazil and South America :: South American Main Dish Meats

1 1/2 lb. (one and a half lbs. ) diced beef
1 1/2 lb. (one and a half lbs. ) diced pork
2 c. water
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. canned chickpeas
3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 tomatoes, chopped
4 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried ground chile peppers
4 Tbsp. chopped parsley
4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. capers
1/2 c. seedless raisins
1/2 c. sliced stuffed olives
3 c. cornmeal
4 c. boiling water
1/3 c. butter
2 eggs, beaten

Combine the beef, pork, water, and garlic in a saucepan. Let it come to a boil and cook over med. heat for 45 mins. Drain and chop coarsely. Add the chickpeas, mixing lightly.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the tomatoes, onions, peppers, chile, parsley, 2 tsp. of the salt, vinegar, sugar and the meat mixture. Cook over low heat for 15 mins., stirring occasionally.

Add the capers, raisins and olives. Mix lightly. Set aside.

Mix the cornmeal with a little cold water. Add to the boiling water in a saucepan, stirring constantly. Add the butter and remaining salt. Cook over low heat for 15 mins. Remove from the heat and add the eggs, beating until a smooth dough is formed.

Butter a 3-quart round or square or rectangular baking dish. Line it with 2/3 of the cornmeal mixture and pour the meat mixture into it. Spread the remaining corn meal on top. Cover the dish with a piece of foil and tie it. Place in a pan of water. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 1 hour.

Venezuelan method
The dish is prepared in the form of tamales. Banana leaves are used for wrapping the hallacas, but foil or parchment paper will serve as a substitute. Cut 10-in. square or rectangles of either paper. Spread about 4 Tbsp. of the cornmeal dough in the center and press as thin as possible. Place 2 Tbsp. of the meat mixture on the dough and fold over, sealing the edges as well as possible. If the dough breaks, patch it with a little more dough. Fold the paper around the hallacas carefully and tie it securely. If foil is used, it is not necessary to tie it. Boil in a large saucepan of salted water for 1 1/2 hours.

Serve in the papers.