Empanadas

Details

TIME: 90 Minutes YIELD: 12 Empanadas

These empanadas can be made with a variety of filling. Our favorites have included impossible beef, curried potatos, and frijoles guisados.

Ingredients

Empanada Dough

• 2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup ice water
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Curried Potato Filling

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons cumin powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon allspice
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 lb potato, peeled and cubed
• 15 oz chickpeas, 1 can, drained
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 14 oz diced tomato, 1 can
• 14 oz coconut milk, 1 can
• fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Preparation

Empanada Dough

1. Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.

2. Beat together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until just incorporated. (Mixture will look shaggy.)

3. Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into a flat rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

5. Roll out the dough as thin as possible, then use a plate to cut out a small circle.

6. Add filling and fold over, use a fork to crease the outside edge and coat with egg wash.

7. Bake for 10-20 min until slightly browned. Flip over halfway through.

Fillings

Curried Potatoes

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and saute for about 3 minutes, until translucent.

2. Add the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes, until fragrant.

3. Add the curry powder, paprika, cayenne, cumin, allspice, ginger, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes until the spices are fragrant.

4. Add the potatoes and mix well until well-coated in spices.

5. Add the chickpeas and stir to incorporate.

6. Add the broth, lemon juice, and tomatoes and stir, then pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine.

7. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.

Impossible Meat

I usually just simmer some peppers and onions, then add the impossible beef. Spice as needed – maybe add some BBQ sauce until nice and flavorful.

Originally from Tasty