Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Empanadas: yum yum

These are very traditional from my country, today I made the dough and the filling and I have to say that it was extremely tasty!

Note: I try to use all organic ingredients but feel free to use the non-organic.



Ingredients for the dough (makes about 20 empanadas)

500g of organic flour(about 2 3/4 cups)
20g salt (about 1heaping tablespoon)
2 tablespoons of baking powder
3/4 of a melted stick of butter
1 egg
water to incorporate ingredients

Ingredients for the meat filling




Organic ground beef
1/2 spanish onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
fresh parsley
fresh oregano
dry oregano
salt and pepper




Ingredients for the Cheese and Basil filling




1 cup of chopped fresh mozzarella cheese
1 red tomato (optional I didn't add it)
fresh basil leaves, chopped
pepper
1 tablespoon of corn starch
1 egg





For the dough:

Incorporate all dry ingredients



Form a crown.


Add the egg


Now the melted butter.


Mix all ingredients together by hand, watch out it will be sticky at the beginning, work it until is no longer sticky, add a little warm water to incorporate ingredients better, start with 1 tablespoon of water and go from there.


Now work that dough on a floured surface with a lot of energy, my 2 year old helped on this one (get your kids involved!)

You want the dough to look like this, once it does wrap it up in a kitchen towel and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.



BEEF FILLING

Preheat some olive oil in a pan


Cook the chopped onions until they are translucent.


Now add the chopped cloves of garlic


Let's move onto the beef, I use organic ground beef, I personally think it tastes better and has less fat.


Add beef to the pan.


Break up the meat to small chunks with a wooden spoon.


Good! now chop your fresh herbs


Add them to the pan.

Now add the salt, pepper and dry oregano, you may want to add 1/2 tablespoon of sugar as well for much better taste!

Cook meat for about 8-10 minutes on medium heat, do not cook all the way (it will cook in the oven) so your meat should look like this.



If you can dump all your food scraps in that compost bowl!



CHEESE AND BASIL FILLING

Chop mozzarella

Now place the chopped mozzarella in a bowl and incorporate the rest of the ingredients. Mix well, set aside.




Now lets bring the dough back to our floured surface. Roll it out to about 1/8 of an inch, the thinner the better. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


Once is rolled out cut circles, they need to be bigger than a cookie I used a big tea mug, whatever you have around the house will work. (my 4 year old helped on this one)


Now pick up one of the circles, place it gently on your palm and add some of the beef filling.


With the tip of your finger wet the edges of the dough with water. Then press both edges together.




Now seal it tight, do whatever you want to it, give it whatever shape you want as long as it is all sealed.


Now do the same with the rest of them, I suggest to seal the cheese empanada with a different shape so after you cook them you can recognize the different fillings, like so.


Now place your empanadas on an oven safe dish, add a little olive oil so they don't stick and brush your empanadas with 1 mixed egg.


Bake at 400 degrees (lower rack) for 10-12 minutes, then move the empanadas to the top of the oven and bake for another, 5-8 minutes or until golden brown.


I had some leftover dough and no more of my fillings so I chopped up a little mozzarella and some ham I had in the fridge and filled 3 more.




Enjoy!!!!!!!

L.O.V.E
Delfi

5 comments:

Organically Sound said...

I can't wait to make these! I'll be sure to let you know when I do! :)

Jackie said...

Those look great - I have been wanting to try empanadas - may have to give them a try now.

I also love that you compost and that you get your kids involved.

Delfi's Blog said...

thanks girls, I hope you enjoy them!

CW said...

Those look delicioso!! ;)

Sandi said...

YUMMMM-O! can't wait to try those