Puerto Rican Empanadas Recipes

BEEF EMPANADAS (PUERTO RICAN EMPANADAS)

Steps:

• Add 2 ½ cups AP flour, 1 stick of cold butter cut into small pieces, 1 egg, ¼ cup cold water, and a pinch of salt to a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour dough mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form mixture into a ball with your hands. Wrap the ball of dough tightly in the plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, remove dough from the fridge. Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface. Roll the dough out with a floured rolling pin as thin as possible. Place a 5-6 inch round bowl or plate onto the dough. Run a knife along the edges of the bowl until you have cut a round disc. Remove the dough round and set aside.Repeat with the rest of the dough. The dough will need to be formed into a ball and rolled out a few more times to cut the rest of the dough rounds. Repeat until all the dough has been cut into rounds.
• Parboil a medium potato for 7 to 10 minutes, then peel and dice into small pieces. Mince 20 Spanish olives.Heat a large skillet to medium and add ground beef. Cook completely and chop it into pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease when finished cooking. Add the potato, sofrito, and ¼ cup water to the pan.Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent the potatoes from sticking. Add tomato sauce, 1 Sazon con Azafron seasoning packet, ¼ cup water, and a pinch of salt.Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring often. Toss the olives into the pan and stir.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Place the pastry rounds onto a clean surface. Spoon 2 Tbsp. or so of the meat filling into a pastry round. Top it with a sprinkling of Monterey Jack cheese. Rub the edges of the pastry round with a little bit of water.Pull one side of the pastry over the other and press the edges together with your fingers. Seal the edges tightly and crimp them together with your fingers or a fork.Try not to over-stuff the pastry rounds or they will break as they cook. Repeat with the remaining pastry rounds.
• Spray a baking sheet(s) with cooking spray. Place half of the empanadas on each pan. Place the pan(s) in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the dough is golden brown. You can use two separate pans or bake them in two separate batches. Serve, and enjoy!

PUERTO RICAN FRIED MEAT PIES: EMPANADAS

Steps:

• DOUGH: combine all the dry ingredients in electric mixer, add all the wet ingredients. Mix for about 3 minutes until well combined. Dough will form.
• Take it out and knead for about 3 minutes, let sit wrapped in plastic-wrap for another 15 minutes.
• Divide into 12 pieces, then roll into 4 inch circles.
• FILLING: Brown ground beef (drain excess grease), or sauté shredded chicken in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add all the ingredients and cook for an additional 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Let cool.
• COOKING: Preheat the oil in a frying pan at about a medium temperature. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the dough and seal the edges with a fork.
• Fry for about 5 minutes on each side, then place on dish lined with paper-towels.

PUERTO RICAN EMPANADAS RECIPE

Steps:

• To make the filling, brown the beef in a hot frying pan. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the olives, and cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Season well. Cool.
• To make the dough, mix the dry ingredients and 1tsp salt in a large bowl, add the oil and about 250ml water. Mix in well with a knife, then knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Put in a polybag for 15 mins.
• Divide the dough into 12 and stretch each piece into a 10cm round. Put a good tbsp of filling on one side, add an olive, then fold the dough over to make a half-moon shape. Press a fork round the edges to seal them. Heat the oil to 190°C. Deep-fry the pies for 5-6 mins, turning them. Drain on kitchen paper.

EMPANADAS - (PUERTO RICAN STYLE)

Steps:

• In a skillet, heat oil on medium heat. Stir in ground meat and cook just till sizzling and half browned. Stir in the remaining ingredients, (except cheese, egg, discos and frying oil). Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until mixture thickens. With your thawed Goya discos, spoon about 1 tbsp of the mixture into the middle with a sprinkle of cheese, fold-over and moisten edges with the egg and seal with a fork. Heat 2 1/2 inches of oil in a deep sauce pan on medium heat. Cook empanadas in batches, turning till lightly browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels and enjoy one of my favorite foods on earth!

VEGAN PUERTO RICAN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Combine water, TVP, and soy sauce in a large pan over high heat. Cook and stir until water is mostly evaporated. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, sazon, adobo sauce, oregano, and cumin. Continue cooking until TVP starts to firm up, about 5 minutes, increasing heat if necessary. Add cayenne and liquid smoke and cook until the mixture starts sticking to the pan, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and mix vegan meat well.
• Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add water and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Mix with your hands and knead until all flour is incorporated. Cut dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Place dough balls in the bowl and cover; let sit for 3 to 4 minutes. Roll a dough ball out into a 6-inch circle and fill with vegan meat and shredded cheese. Dip a finger in water and moisten the edges of the dough before folding over and crimping empanada edges using a fork. Repeat with remaining dough balls and fillings.
• Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 or 3 empanadas as a time to the hot oil and fry until both sides are a light golden color, about 5 minutes total. Transfer fried empanadas to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

AUTHENTIC CHICKEN EMPANADAS (EMPANADAS DE POLLO)

Steps:

• Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Add water and 1/4 cup vegetable oil; mix with an electric mixer until well combined and a dough begins to form, about 3 minutes. Remove dough and knead on a lightly floured surface for about 3 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shredded chicken and saute until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, cilantro, olives, garlic, sazon seasoning, tomato paste, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Divide empanada dough into 12 pieces and form each one into a 4-inch circle. Place about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each circle, fold in half, and press down on the edges with a fork to seal.
• Heat 1 cup oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add empanadas, working in batches, and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.