EMPANADAS
IT'S TIME TO MAKE EMPANADAS, THE DELICIOUS PIES WITH THE JUICY FILLING! THE RECIPE MAY HAVE ORIGINATED IN SPAIN BUT IS NOW VERY POPULAR IN MEXICO, ARGENTINA AND ACROSS LATIN AMERICA!
INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
600 gr. flour for all purposes
300 gr. cold butter, diced
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vinegar
4 tablespoons water
3/4 teaspoon of salt
For the filling:
300 gr. minced meat
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 pepper
1 leek
150 gr. boiled or canned corn
5-6 pickled cucumber
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon of marjoram or oregano
200ml meat broth
60 gr. butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon raisins
2 eggs, boiled tightly
Salt
In addition you will need a lightly beaten egg for baking
INSTRUCTIONS
The dough
Put flour, salt and butter in a bowl and rub with your fingertips until you get a mixture with a granular texture (like wet sand).
Add the water and the egg yolk and knead with quick moves until the ingredients come together.
Wrap the dough with cling film and keep it in the fridge until you need it.
The filling
Chop finely the onion, the garlic, the leek and the pepper while draining the corn, in case that you used canned. Then cut the cucumber into thin slices.
Sauté the minced meat with olive oil in a pan until it turns brown and add the onion, leek, pepper, and garlic. Continue sautéing, on low heat, for a few more minutes.
Add the spices, herbs, broth and cook the minced meat until its liquids are saved.
Add the corn and raisins and remove from the heat.
Leave the filling aside to cool and divide it into 2 parts. In one add the pickled cucumber and in the other the boiled eggs, finely chopped.
The empanadas
On a floured counter, roll out the dough about 1cm. thick, with the help of a rolling pin. Cut it with a round cutter, with a diameter of about 10-12 cm.
Fill the pies with the filling and close them well by pressing the ends with a fork.
Put the pies in a baking pan, brush them with the egg and bake for about 35 minutes at 180o C.
Notes on the recipe:
-We can make the empanadas with minced chicken or meat left-overs
-The dough can be prepared from the previous day and stored in the refrigerator
-The pickled cucumber can be finely chopped and added to yogurt to accompany the embanadas
-With this dough you can make any kind of tart, savory or sweet
Eva Monochari
Food Blogger
