HALLACA

Preparation

Combine the beef, pork, water, and garlic in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes. Drain and chop into smaller chunks. Add the chickpeas, mixing lightly.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the tomatoes, onions, peppers, chili, parsley, 2 tsp of the salt, vinegar, sugar, and the meat mixture. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the capers, raisins, and olives. Mix lightly. Set aside.

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

Butter a 3-quart round or square baking dish. Line it with 2/3 of the corn meal 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 in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

In Venezuela this dish is prepared similarly to tamales except banana leaves are used for wrapping the hallacas instead of corn husks. Parchment paper or foil will work as a suitable substitute. Cut 10-inch squares of either type. Spread about 4 tablespoons of the corn meal dough in the center and press as thin as possible. Place 2 tablespoons 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 one and half hours. Serve in the papers.