In the early 1900s, Juana Manuela Gorriti was the first person to create the wonderfully delicious meat and vegetable filled puff pastry we call the Salteña. Juana Manuela later married Bolivian President Manuel Isidoro Belzu, but the two were soon exiled to Tarija, Bolivia during the Juan Manuel de Rosas dictatorship. The exile caused the Gorriti family to endure extreme poverty, and as a way of making a living, Juana came up with the recipe and began cooking and selling these pastries who took their name from Juana who was born in Salta, Argentina.
In a short time, the incredibly scrumptious pastry, nicknamed "Salteña" (the term for a female citizen of Salta), became very popular. It was common for parents to say to their children: "Ve y recoge una empanada de la salteña" ("go and pick up an empanada from the salteña"). In time the name Juana Manuela Gorriti was forgotten, but not the nickname that was taken from her birth place. Eventually salteñas spread past the town of Tarija and became a Bolivian tradition.
Salteñas or Salteña are a type of empanada of Bolivian origin, lovingly prepared and sold throughout Bolivia, and in other countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Colombia, and now in North America. 
Although each country has its own version, none can compare to the rich taste and warm comfort of those from Bolivia…but then, we are biased! Salteñas are savory pastries filled with beef, pork or chicken mixed in a sweet, slightly spicy or very spicy sauce, and sometimes also contain peas, potatoes, egg, raisins, and other enjoyable ingredients.
Typically salteñas can be found in any town or city throughout Bolivia, but each area has its variations. Cochabamba and Sucre both claim to have the best version of this snack but, many love the variation from Potosi. In La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, it is a tradition to enjoy salteñas as a mid-morning snack, although vendors will often start offering salteñas very early in the morning. The pastries are typically sold from 7:00 am until noon. It is astonishing how quickly so many vendors are sold out, often by mid-morning, so when in Bolivia, be sure to get out early so that you don’t miss the chance to experience this Bolivian tradition.
