Empanada Sauce Recipes

FILIPINO EMPANADAS

Steps:

• In a large non stick pan, over a medium heat, heat oil and sautee onions and garlic until soft.
• Add pork mince and cook for a few minutes until it starts to brown.
• Stir in carrot and potato and continue cooking for a few more minutes.
• Add peas, sultanas, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper and water. Stir well.
• Continue to cook the mixture over a low heat, stirring so the mixture does not burn, until liquid has evaporated.
• Cover and place empanada filling to the side to cool while making the pastry. If it is a hot day, I suggest you put the filling in the fridge once it has cooled slightly.
• Place flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, whisk together.
• Add lard to the flour mixture. With the tips of your fingers rub (see notes) the lard into the flour mixture.
• Whisk water, egg and vinegar together and add to flour mixture.
• Mix until combined and then turn out on to a lightly floured bench.
• Knead until mixture forms a smooth dough. Adding a little more flour if too sticky to handle.
• Shape into a flatish ball and wrap in plastic. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to rest.
• Divide dough into 18 round balls, and cover with some plastic wrap to avoid them drying out while assembling.
• On a floured bench, roll out a dough ball with a rolling pin, until around ½ centimetre thick.
• Place 2 tablespoons of empanada filling in the centre of the rolled out dough.
• Fold the dough in half over the filling, then seal the empanada but pleating* the edges and crimping as you go.
• You can see how I do it on Instagram here.
• Continue with the remainder of the dough and filling. Keeping the empanadas covered as you go so they don't dry out.
• Place enough vegetable oil in a wok, which would be high enough to cover the empanadas. Heat oil until it reaches 180°C (350°F). Cook a few empanada at a time (don't crowd the wok) until they are golden brown.
• Once golden remove from the wok and drain on kitchen paper towel.Serve immediately.

AUTHENTIC COLOMBIAN PICO DE GALLO

Steps:

• Finely chop tomatoes and onion. Mince fresh cilantro. Mix thoroughly with lemon and lime juice in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, taste and correct seasonings. Cover, and leave to macerate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight.
• Serve with cheese arepas (https://immigrantstable.com/2018/03/29/authentic-colombian-cheese-arepas-with-all-the-fixings-gf-veg/), tortilla chips, patacones, or your favourite quesadillas.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN EMPANADAS WITH AVOCADO DIP

Steps:

• Add all the Avocado Dip ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth, scraping sides down as needed. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. May be made 4 hours ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container.
• Prepare Chipotle Chicken according to recipe directions. After chicken has rested at least 5 minutes, chop into small pieces. Set aside.
• To the same skillet you cooked your chicken (don't clean out), heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Add bell peppers and black beans and sauté for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chicken and enchilada sauce until evenly combined. Season with salt, pepper and/or hot sauce to taste.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large jelly roll pan with parchment paper or line 2 smaller pans with parchment paper/nonstick mats.
• Lay out one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll out to approximate dimension of 12 x 18 inches. Cut 2 rows of 4" circles in the dough for 8 circles total. Repeat with other sheet of puff pastry. Gather dough scraps and roll out to dimensions to fit 4 additional circles. You should have a total of 20 circles.
• Place 1 1/2 tablespoons chicken mixture in the center of each circle and top with one tablespoon of cheese. Lightly brush the edge of half of a circle with egg wash and fold over, pinch edges tightly to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining circles but DO NOT dip your brush in the egg wash again until your brush becomes dry because too much egg wash will prevent the edges from sticking.
• Check each empanada to make sure there is about a finger width of dough sealed together before the filling starts. Crimp the edges together with a fork. Pierce each empanada two times with a fork so steam can escape while baking.
• Spread empanadas apart so they are not touching each other on baking sheet. Brush the tops/sides evenly with egg wash. Bake until golden brown, approximately 20-25 minutes.
• Serve with Avocado Dip
• While empanadas are lined on baking tray before baking, transfer entire baking tray to the freezer. Once frozen, add individual empanadas to a large freezer bag.
• When ready to bake, line desired amount of empanadas on parchment lined baking tray, and bake at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

CILANTRO LIME EMPANADA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a food processor, add the Greek yogurt, lime juice and half the zest, olive oil, water, avocado, cilantro, garlic, green onion, and salt. Pulse on high until fully combined. You can add more water if needed to thin out the sauce.
• Serve with homemade Chicken Empanadas!

BEEF EMPANADAS (ARGENTINA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
• In a large skillet over medium heat add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft and the garlic is fragrant.
• Add the ground beef and spices. Cook until the beef is no longer pink.
• Remove from heat and add the herbs and olives. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Place 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each disc of pastry dough.
• Fold over, squeezing out any air, and crimp the outer edge closed.
• Repeat with remaining filling
• Place the filled discs on the parchment lined baking sheet.
• Brush with egg wash (1 egg + 2 tablespoons water mixed) and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove and let cool slightly. Serve and enjoy!

CUBAN PICADILLO EMPANADA AND CILANTRO CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• For the filling: Heat the oil in a large saute pan set over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring to break up the turkey, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the turkey to a bowl and keep the fat in the pan. Add the chili powder, coriander, cumin, garlic, onions and bell peppers, and cook until soft and fragrant, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the meat back to the pan and stir to incorporate. Add the tomato puree, raisins, capers, olives, thyme and bay leaf, and cook until all of the flavors come together and the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Season with the lime juice, salt and pepper. Cool the filling completely.
• For the dough: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, masa harina, baking powder and salt. Stir in the melted butter. Gradually add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water, and work it in with your hands to incorporate; the dough should be easy to handle and not sticky. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Lightly flour a rolling pin and a clean surface. Divide the dough in half. Refrigerate half of the dough and roll out the other half of the dough to 1/8-inch thick. Using a 4-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out 10 circles of dough. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of filling into the center of each pastry circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush the edges with the egg wash and then fold the dough to enclose the filling and form a semi-circle. Tightly seal the edges by crimping with the tines of a fork. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• For the sauce: In a small mixing bowl, add the crema, cilantro and lime juice. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet.
• Place the empanadas on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with some egg wash. Using a fork, prick a few holes in the tops of the empanadas for the steam to escape. Bake until the empanadas are golden brown, 30 minutes.

SPANISH BEEF EMPANADAS RECIPE

Steps:

• For the dough, mix the flour, salt, and butter in a bowl with your hands until you get a homogeneous dough.
• In a different large bowl, beat the egg, water, and vinegar with a fork and add to the flour dough.
• Knead the mixture on a clean surface covered with a little bit of flour until you get a rustic dough and set aside covered in the fridge for one hour.
• For the filling, start by cutting the hard-boiled eggs into thin slices. In a saucepan over low heat cook the onion in the oil and until golden brown, then add the garlic and oregano, mix it for 1 minute.
• Then add the ground beef and cook for 5-10 minutes until the meat is cooked. Add the raisins, olives, hard-boiled eggs, and tomato sauce.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C or 390°F and spread some oil on a large baking sheet to prevent the empanadas from sticking. If you are frying them then put oil in a large frying pan at medium heat.
• Take the dough from the empanadas and roll it with the help of a rolling pin to form a rectangular sheet type of shape. Then using a cookie cutter or a cup cut circles to make the empanadas.
• Take the circle and fill with 2 tablespoons of the ground beef filling, then fold the dough over and mark the edges with a fork to close the empanadas.
• Bake the empanadas in the oven for 20 minutes or until the dough is golden brown. If you are going to fry them, place them in the pan with hot oil (don't overcrowd it) and cook for about 4 minutes each.