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Appetizers

Empanadas de Viento

The Quirky Foodster Team

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35 min
Prep
20 min
Cook

Ingredients

  • 300g (2.5 cups) All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 30g (2 tbsp) Cold butter or lard
  • 150ml (2/3 cup) Warm water
  • 200g (2 cups) Grated mozzarella or queso fresco
  • for deep frying Oil
  • 2 tbsp Caster sugar, for dusting

Method

  1. Mix flour, baking powder and salt; rub in the butter until crumbly.
  2. Gradually add warm water, kneading until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Rest, covered, for 20 minutes.
  3. Divide the dough into 10-12 balls and roll each into a thin circle roughly 12cm (5in) across.
  4. Place a spoonful of grated cheese on one half of each circle, fold over, and seal the edges firmly, crimping with a fork.
  5. Deep-fry in oil at 180°C (350°F) for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and puffed. Drain on paper towels and dust generously with sugar while warm.

Introduction: Empanadas de viento ('wind empanadas') are light, puffed pastries filled simply with cheese, deep-fried until the dough balloons up with air pockets — hence the name.

Cultural Background: Empanadas de viento ('wind empanadas') are light, puffed pastries filled simply with cheese, deep-fried until the dough balloons up with air pockets — hence the name. A signature street snack of the Ecuadorian highlands, especially popular in Quito and Cuenca, often dusted with sugar and served with hot sauce for a sweet-savoury contrast.

Tips: Keep the oil at a steady 180°C (350°F) — too cool and the empanadas absorb oil and won't puff; too hot and they brown before cooking through.

Variations: Some regions skip the sugar dusting and serve savoury with ají hot sauce only; a baked version is lighter but less traditional. Naturally vegetarian as written; entirely plant-based version can use a vegan cheese substitute.

Storage: Best eaten fresh; store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Reheating: Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 5 minutes to re-crisp; microwaving makes them soggy.

Nutrition: Approx. 210 kcal, 6g protein, 10g fat, 24g carbohydrates per empanada.

FAQs:

Q: Why do they puff up so much?

A: The thin, well-rested dough traps steam during frying, causing dramatic air pockets to form — a hallmark of this specific empanada style.

Q: Can I bake instead of fry them?

A: You can, but they won't achieve the same dramatic puff or crisp shell that defines empanadas de viento.

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