**Empanadas: A Culinary Journey Around the World**
Empanadas, savory pockets of dough filled with delicious fillings, are a culinary delight enjoyed in many cultures across the world. From the vibrant streets of Latin America to the bustling souks of the Middle East, these handheld pastries have captured the hearts and taste buds of food lovers everywhere. Join us on a delectable journey as we explore the diverse world of empanadas, uncovering the secrets behind their irresistible flavors and introducing you to a collection of tantalizing recipes that will transport your taste buds to culinary heaven.
In this comprehensive guide, we present a variety of empanada recipes, each with its own unique cultural influences and flavor combinations. Discover the secrets of the classic Argentinian empanada, filled with tender beef, juicy onions, and flavorful spices. Embark on a culinary adventure to Chile, where empanadas are bursting with seafood treasures such as shrimp, crab, and mussels, enveloped in a crispy, golden crust. Experience the vibrant flavors of the Colombian empanada, filled with a medley of potatoes, ground beef, and aji peppers, offering a spicy kick that lingers on the palate.
Transport yourself to the heart of Spain with our traditional Spanish empanada recipe, featuring a flaky pastry filled with a savory filling of chorizo, ham, and manchego cheese. Indulge in the delightful flavors of the Mexican empanada, where succulent fillings of cheese, beans, and vegetables dance together in a harmonious symphony of textures and flavors. And for a taste of the Middle East, try our irresistible recipe for kibbeh, a Levantine specialty where a bulgur wheat crust encases a flavorful mixture of ground lamb, pine nuts, and fragrant spices.
With step-by-step instructions, helpful tips, and stunning photography, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills to create mouthwatering empanadas that will impress your family and friends. Whether you prefer beef, chicken, seafood, or vegetarian fillings, we have a recipe that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and embark on a culinary adventure that will transport you to the vibrant streets and bustling markets of the world's empanada capitals.
EMPANADA DOUGH
This empanada dough recipe can be used to make any kind of empanada, including chicken empanadas, potato and chorizo empanadas, and more.
Categories Quick & Easy Chill Gourmet
Yield Makes enough for 12 pastries
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
BASIC EMPANADAS
These tasty and convenient Latin-American-style turnovers can be frozen for up to three months, individually wrapped in plastic and placed in resealable plastic bags. There's no need to thaw before baking, they can go right from the freezer to the oven.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Appetizers Finger Food Recipes
Time 2h
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Make the filling: In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, cook meat until no longer pink, breaking it up into small pieces, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add onion and jalapenos; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder and tomatoes. Cook over medium until mixture has thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in cilantro. Let cool.
- Make the dough: In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingers, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add just enough cold water so dough comes together.
- Form empanadas. If desired, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, 2 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic; freeze in plastic bags.
- To bake fresh or frozen empanadas, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush tops with egg wash, avoiding crimped edges. Bake until golden brown, rotating sheets halfway through, 30 to 40 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 565 g, Fat 24 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 32 g
COLOMBIAN BEEF AND POTATO EMPANADAS
Colombian empanadas are typically quite small - a couple of bites each - and have a crisp corn crust. There are a wide range of fillings you'll find across Colombia, but this meat-and-potato mixture is the most common. Small yellow potatoes called papas criollas are the potato of choice here, but they are nearly impossible to find in the United States, so I use Yukon Gold instead. My wife's family typically keeps the seasonings simple - salt, pepper and a dash of paprika - though many recipes include cumin or Triguisar, a powdered seasoning mix that contains ground cumin, paprika, achiote, turmeric and garlic. I season my filling with a little chicken bouillon, but you could use plain salt instead. The filling uses half an onion and half a tomato, so save the other half for the fresh, cilantro-based ají, to serve with the empanadas.
Provided by J. Kenji López-Alt
Categories dinner, snack, finger foods, meat, vegetables, appetizer
Time 1h
Yield About 24 small empanadas (serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Prepare the filling: Place potato cubes in a medium saucepan, cover with water and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until cubes are completely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, using a flat palm, press the cut side of the tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate the tomato until you're left with just the skin. (The skin should protect your hand from the grater.) Discard the skin, then transfer the tomato and any juices to a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat vegetable oil until shimmering. Add beef or pork, and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until the pieces are quite small and completely cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add onion, scallion, paprika, bouillon (if using), and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 1 minute. Immediately add the grated tomato and its juices, and cook, stirring, until the mixture is quite dry, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer meat mixture to the bowl with potatoes and stir together with a fork, letting the potato get roughly mashed up. (The filling should form cohesive balls when gently packed.) Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, bouillon and pepper to taste. Allow to cool completely. Spreading it out on a large plate or tray and placing it in the fridge will speed up this process.
- Assemble the empanadas: Divide masa into 24 golf-ball-size balls. Working one ball at a time, place inside a plastic zip-top bag and press down with the bottom of a skillet to form a circle about 3 inches in diameter. Carefully remove from the bag and transfer to a clean cutting board or tray. Repeat with remaining dough balls, laying them out side by side. Cover the disks with a clean, lightly damp kitchen towel.
- Working one empanada at a time, place about 2 teaspoons of meat mixture in the center of the disk. Lift the front and back edges and seal them at the top by gently pushing them together. Seal the empanada, working from the center outward until both ends are completely sealed. Gently curve the empanada to form a slight crescent with the sealed edge at the top. Repeat with remaining empanadas.
- In a large Dutch oven or wok over high, heat 2 quarts oil until it registers 375 degrees on an instant-read or frying thermometer. Using a metal spider or slotted spoon, lower empanadas into the hot oil one at a time. You should be able to cook about six empanadas per batch. Cook empanadas, adjusting heat to maintain an oil temperature of 325 to 375 degrees, until empanadas are crisp and golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or metal spider, transfer empanadas to a paper-towel-lined plate or bowl and immediately season with salt.
- Serve empanadas hot, with a bowl of ají and a spoon to drizzle the sauce over the empanadas and into them as you eat.
Tips:
- Use a food processor to make the masa dough quickly and easily.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can make the masa dough by hand by mashing the cooked cornmeal with a fork or potato masher.
- Be careful not to overwork the masa dough, as this will make it tough.
- If the masa dough is too dry, add a little bit of water until it reaches a smooth, pliable consistency.
- If the masa dough is too wet, add a little bit of cornmeal until it reaches a smooth, pliable consistency.
- Let the masa dough rest for at least 30 minutes before using it, as this will help it to develop its full flavor.
- When filling your empanadas, be sure to leave a little bit of space at the edges so that they can be sealed properly.
- To seal your empanadas, use a fork or your fingers to press the edges together firmly.
- Fry or bake your empanadas until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve your empanadas with your favorite dipping sauce.
Conclusion:
Standard masa is a versatile dough that can be used to make a variety of delicious dishes, including empanadas. It is relatively easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. With a little practice, you can make perfect empanadas that will be enjoyed by everyone.
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