Empanadas are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The key to making great empanadas is the masa, which is the dough that wraps around the filling. There are many different ways to make masa, but the most common method is to use a combination of cornmeal, flour, and water. The resulting dough should be pliable and easy to work with, and it should have a slightly sweet flavor. Once the masa is made, it can be filled with a variety of ingredients, such as meat, vegetables, or cheese. Empanadas can be baked, fried, or grilled, and they are often served with a dipping sauce.
Let's cook with our recipes!
MASA PARA EMPANADAS (EMPANADA DOUGH)
This basic dough recipe for empanadas, sweet or savory, is easily prepared, but you do need to knead it for several minutes to get the right texture.
Provided by agonzalez
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Mexican
Time 20m
Yield 30
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Sift flour onto a flat work surface. Make a well in the center. Add sugar and salt. Gradually mix in shortening and water with a fork until dough comes together. Knead until smooth, about 10 minutes.
- Divide dough into 30 pieces. Roll each piece out into a thin, 6-inch round.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 260.5 calories, Carbohydrate 26.3 g, Fat 15.7 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 3.4 g, SaturatedFat 3.9 g, Sodium 78.4 mg, Sugar 0.9 g
STANDARD MASA FOR EMPANADAS
Masarepa is cornmeal that has been precooked, dehydrated and ground into a fine powder. It's used all over Colombia, Venezuela and Bolivia for a variety of recipes, including arepas and empanadas.
Provided by J. Kenji López-Alt
Categories snack, finger foods, pastries, project, appetizer
Time 30m
Yield About 24 (3-inch) empanadas
Number Of Ingredients 2
Steps:
- Combine masarepa, salt and 2 cups tepid water in a large bowl. Stir with your hands and massage into a smooth dough.
- Take a small ball in your hand and press it flat. If the dough cracks, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is smoother and workable. (Small cracks around the edges are OK.)
- Cover masa and set aside to rest for at least 15 minutes before using. Masa can be made several days in advance and stored in the fridge in a zip-top bag.
- For empanada assembly and cooking instructions, proceed to Step 6 of this Colombian Beef and Potato Empanadas recipe.
VENEZUELAN EMPANADAS
Steps:
- Make the filling: Place the beef, bay leaves, 1 tablespoon salt and water to cover in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the meat is almost falling apart, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl and shred with a fork; cool. Reserve the broth.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and shallot; cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the scallion, paprika, sazon completa, oregano, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the beef and 1 cup of the reserved broth and cook over medium heat until thick, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
- Make the dough: Mix 3 1/2 cups hot water, the sugar, vegetable oil, butter and salt in a medium bowl until the butter melts. Stir in the cornmeal and flour until a soft dough forms, then knead on a clean surface until the dough comes together. Shape into 12 balls, using about 1/2 cup dough for each.
- One at a time, sprinkle each dough ball with water, place between two pieces of lightly oiled heavy-duty plastic wrap (a cut resealable bag works well) and roll into a 7-inch circle. Remove the top sheet of plastic and place 2 to 3 tablespoons filling in the center of the dough. Use the bottom piece of
- plastic to fold the dough in half over the filling and press to seal. Trim into a half-moon shape with a knife or press down with the round edge of a bowl. Remove the plastic and place the empanada on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet until a deep-fry thermometer registers 365 degrees F. Fry the empanadas in batches until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet; keep warm in the oven.
- Make the sauce: Combine the cilantro, olive oil, avocado, bell pepper, scallion, vinegar and garlic in a blender. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper and puree until smooth. Thin out the sauce with up to 1/4 cup water and serve with the empanadas.
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
EMPANADA DOUGH RECIPE - MASA PARA EMPANADAS
This recipe produces a sweet dough that contrasts perfectly with savory fillings. Empanada dough is less flaky than pie crust (although you can substitute frozen pie crust dough in a pinch) - it has a tender texture that soaks up the filling. This dough can be used for baked or fried empanandas. If you are going to fry the empanadas, omit the egg yolk and roll the dough out slightly thinner (less than 1/4" thickness).
Provided by Codebates
Categories Quick Breads
Time 1h15m
Yield 10 10-12, 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the salt and the sugar.
- Blend the butter and shortening (or lard) into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or with two knives, until fairly well blended.
- Whisk the egg yolks wiht 3/4 cups water. Stir in the 1/2 cup of water/egg mixture, a little at a time until the dough starts to come together smoothly. Keep kneading the dough, adding more water/egg a little bit at a time as necessary (you made need a few tablespoons extra of water), until the dough is smooth. The dough will seem a bit shaggy until it has thoroughly chilled.
- Cover the dough with saran wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. (Dough can also be kept overnight (or a couple of days) in the refrigerator) Dough should be soft and smooth, and not elastic - if you poke a hole in it with your finger, the indentation should remain.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and roll into desired thickness.
- Makes enough dough for 10-12 large empanadas.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 600.9, Fat 31.6, SaturatedFat 13.1, Cholesterol 89.8, Sodium 426.4, Carbohydrate 68, Fiber 2.2, Sugar 4.5, Protein 9.5
Tips:
- Use fresh masa harina for the best flavor and texture.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can mash the masa harina and shortening together with a fork or pastry blender.
- Be careful not to overwork the dough, as this will make it tough.
- If the dough is too dry, add a little more water. If the dough is too wet, add a little more masa harina.
- Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes before using it. This will allow the masa harina to fully hydrate and the dough to become more pliable.
- When rolling out the dough, use a lightly floured surface to prevent sticking.
- If the dough is too sticky, you can chill it for a few minutes before rolling it out.
- Be careful not to roll the dough too thin, as this will make it difficult to handle and fill.
- When filling the empanadas, be sure to leave a little space around the edges so that the dough can seal properly.
- Crimp the edges of the empanadas securely with a fork or your fingers.
- Fry the empanadas in hot oil until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve the empanadas hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Conclusion:
Standard masa for empanadas is a versatile dough that can be used to make a variety of delicious and satisfying dishes. With its simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, this recipe is a great starting point for anyone who wants to explore the world of empanadas. So gather your ingredients, put on your apron, and let's get cooking!
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love