Theres nothing like a hot, fresh empanada straight out of the oven!
A worthy addition to the RecipeTincult-classic collection!
Empanadas recipe
Great empanadas are hard to come by here in Sydney.
Proof of juicy filling in these empanadas!
They should be hot and crunchy on the outside, with juicy flavourful fillings on the inside.
Why-oh-why are so many empanada fillings so dry??
To protect the crispy pastry, I guess.
But a dry filling is a high price to pay!
So, that ranting introduction is a good foray into what to expect from my empanadas!
Theres also sweet versions too!
Proof of juicy filling in these empanadas!
Native to South America, almost every country in Latin America has their own version.
Depending where you are, typical fillings vary and empanadas can be baked or deep fried.
Wrapping the empanadas Dead easy, because the pleats are 100% optional!
Chorizo beef empanada filling
Baking Just 20 minutes in the oven.
Empanada filling ingredients
Empanadas come with all sorts of fillings.
Today, Im sharing a beef one.
It gets a punch of flavour from chorizo and spices.
Beef Just ordinary beef mince / ground beef.
Chorizo The above mentioned flavour punch!
We blitz it up into a paste using a stick blender for maximum effect.
LOVE how it blends seamlessly into the beef!
Potato cubes A traditional inclusion in empanada filling.
Starchy potatoes work best because they are fluffier when cooked but any potato really will work just fine.
Herb and spices Fresh thyme, cayenne, oregano, paprika and cumin.
Nobody has ever accused me of bland food!
Tomato paste For flavour.
See here for more information.
Dry filling is a gripe I have with empanadas Ive tried in my time!
Water makes the filling watery which makes the pastry soggy.
Chicken stock/broth For simmering, to provide a little liquid so the potato cooks.
Garlic and onion Aromatics for flavour base.
Green onion For freshness and appealing green bits.
Chorizo blitz Use a stick blender to blitz the chorizo into a paste.
It really does not take long if you chop the chorizo beforehand, just 10 seconds or so.
Wrapped empanadas ready to bake
Dont skip this step!
Maximum flavour release and I love how it just seamlessly mixes in with the beef.
Then cook the beef, breaking it up as you go.
Cook off the tomato paste for 1 minute to caramelise it a bit which releases more flavour.
Then add everything else, stir, and simmer for 15 minutes.
but not watery (because nobody likes soggy pastry!).
Also by this time the potato should be cooked through.
Coolfilling completely before using, at least 2 hours.
Hot filling = melts butter in pastry = less flaky.
Plus also it will steam inside the pastry and make it soggy.
Goal filling texture Cool/cold but spreadable.
If you refrigerate overnight (up to 3 days!)
it will become a solid block which is impossible to wrap neatly.
Let it come to room temp or microwave in bursts, stirring in between, until it becomes spreadable.
These additions add interest and make them proper South American-style empanadas, so dont skip them!
They are not mixed into the filling but sprinkled on top just before wrapping.
Empanada dough
Empanada dough is a key in of shortcrust pastry.
You will love how its so easy to work with.
Its easier to work with than store bought puff pastry!
Ingredients in Empanada dough
Heres what you gotta make empanada dough.
Flour Just plain / all purpose flour.
Prevent screen from sleeping
Butter cold, cut into cubes so its easy to blitz into fine crumbs in the flour.
Tiny little bits of butter throughout the pastry is what makes it beautifully flaky!
Egg Eggs are not usually included in traditional shortcrust pastry.
It makes the dough slightly less crumbly intentionally, because these are hand held pies.
(As noted above, little butter bits = flaky pastry!).
Blitz Pulse flour, salt and butter until the butter becomes crumbs, usually around 4 to 6 pulses.
The largest bits should be no bigger than peas.
Dough This is what the dough looks like in the food processor.
Kneaded and ready to go!
Refrigerate 30 minutes Divide the dough into two pieces then shape into 2cm / 0.8 thick discs.
Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
It can stay in the fridge for up to 2 days but will become rock hard.
Take it out around 30 minutes prior before rolling out.
Hand kneading method
Mix flour and salt in a bowl.
Rub cold butter in with fingertips until fine crumbs form.
Mix in whisked milk and egg using the handle of a wooden spoon.
Roll outto 3 mm / 0.1 thickness.
Work with one disc at a time.
Cut 15 cm /6 rounds(I use a bowl).
This is a fairly average traditional empanada size larger than you think!
However, feel free to make them smaller if desired.
Keep cutting Gather dough scraps into a ball, then repeat to roll out dough and cut rounds.
Keep cut rounds covered in the fridge, stacked on paper, as you continue to roll and cut.
You should get 10 or 11 rounds.
Dough thickness 3 mm / 0.1 thickness is the target thickness.
Too thin = filling can break pastry and harder to do pleats.
Too thick = a lot of pastry with each bite and harder to do pleats.
Youll also notice that the dough is easy to work with, not prone to breaking like other doughs.
Lets wrap some empanadas!
Wrapping empanadas (can be) easy!
It does not affect the eating experience at all!!
Filling empanadas
Spread fillingin a half moon shape on one side of the round.
Make the surface flat.
Use 3 tablespoons of filling (55g / 1.94oz to be exact!
), leaving a 1.7cm / 2/3 border (exactness!
Sprinklewith a pinch of olives and egg.
Brush with egg whites Brush the filling side edge with egg whites.
Were reserving the yolks to brush the surface so it bakes up beautifully golden.
As I mentioned above, pleating is optional!
you could just decorate using a fork just press down along the edge or just leave the seam plain.
It will still taste just as good!
For the pleating, the fastest way to learn is to watch the recipe video.
Keep repeatinguntil you finish at the end.
Do not be afraid to trim off excess pastry on the corner to tidy it up.
Reshapeas needed to push it back into a neat half moon shape.
I find mine kind of stretches out in an elongated half moon!
Brush with egg yolk this makes them bake up beautifully golden.
Bakefor 20 minutes in a hot oven 220C/425F (200C fan).
Golden brown The empanadas are ready when they are a beautiful golden brown, and the base is crisp.
EAT!Look at your gorgeous empanadas!!
EAT WHILE HOT!!
Empanada dipping sauce
Hot, freshly made empanadas are wonderful eaten just plain.
But a dipping sauce just elevates the experience!
Ive published this asa separate recipebecause its worthy.
It is my recommended option its SO GOOD!
Use leftovers as a dip for corn chips, veggie sticks, bread.
Chimichurri This bright green fresh parsley-garlic South American sauce is a natural pairing with empanadas!
Pink sauce Ketchup + sour cream or yogurt or mayo or any combination thereof.
Ketchup, or spicy ketchup I wont judge.
(For spicy, just mix with sriracha).
Worth the effort
This is not a quick and easy recipe.
And there will be people reading this no doubt who live in areas where excellent empanadas are abundant.
For the rest of us poor sods, this homemade version will satisfy your empanada cravings.
Food that is worth the effort!
I really hope you give them a go and love them as much as I do!
And make things like empanadas accessible to everybody, of varying skills levels!
He feels very popular there was a lot of strutting around today.
Meanwhile, there was a lot of grumbling on my part!
Snippet of grumbling fromInstagram:
