Empanadas
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Flour — 400 g (14.1 oz)
- Butter, chilled and cubed — 150 g (5.3 oz)
- Egg — 1
- Cold water — 100 ml (1/2 cup)
- Minced beef — 300 g (10.6 oz)
- Onion, diced — 1
- Ground cumin — 1 tsp
- Paprika — 1 tsp
- Raisins — 50 g (1.8 oz)
- Hard-boiled egg, chopped — 1
- Salt — to taste
Method
- Combine the flour and butter, rubbing together until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Work in the egg and cold water to form a firm dough. Rest for 20 minutes.
- Cook the minced beef with the onion, cumin, paprika, and salt until browned and fragrant.
- Stir in the raisins and chopped hard-boiled egg, and let cool.
- Roll out the dough and cut into rounds.
- Place a spoonful of filling on each round, fold over, and crimp the edges to seal.
- Bake at a moderate-high heat (around 200°C) for 20-25 minutes, until golden.
Introduction: Pastry turnovers filled with spiced meat, sold hot at markets and street corners across colonial Latin American towns.
Cultural Background: Empanadas descend from the Spanish and broader Iberian tradition of stuffed pastries, adapted in the colonies with local fillings and spices, and became a widely sold, portable street food across colonial towns and marketplaces.
Tips: Let the filling cool before assembling, or it will soften the pastry too much.
Variations: A cheese and corn filling makes a popular vegetarian version.
Nutrition: Approx. 280 kcal per empanada.
FAQs:
Q: Where do empanadas originate?
A: They descend from Iberian stuffed pastry traditions, which colonial cooks adapted with New World ingredients and spices.
Q: Can empanadas be fried instead of baked?
A: Yes, frying is also a traditional method and gives a crisper result.
- Flour — 400 g (14.1 oz)
- Butter, chilled and cubed — 150 g (5.3 oz)
- Egg — 1
- Cold water — 100 ml (1/2 cup)
- Minced beef — 300 g (10.6 oz)
- Onion, diced — 1
- Ground cumin — 1 tsp
- Paprika — 1 tsp
- Raisins — 50 g (1.8 oz)
- Hard-boiled egg, chopped — 1
- Salt — to taste
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