ACE Alumni Forum

**yvesval** · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:44 am Post subject: I Love Empanadas!

EMPANADAS

Empanada is prepared similarly to a pie cut in pieces, making it more easy when eaten.It is made of a thin circular shaped dough patty over stuffing that creates its circular shaped. Just about any food or combination can be made as a filling like meat, fish, vegetables, cheese, fruits and even left-overs.

It is a common delicacy in Philippines as a stuffed pastry. Empanadas are also known in a wide variety of regional names like empadas or empadinhas in Brasil, empanadas de verde in Ecuador, salvadoreños in El Salvador, paete in Haiti, salteñas in Argentina, pastellilos in Puerto Rico to name a few. Majority of empanadas in America were originally from Galicia, Spain having a similarity in stuffed pies cut in pieces making it conveniently to eat.

BASIC EMPANADA MAKING

Roll and cut the dough. Place the empanada dough on a floured counter top. Roll the dough out into 1/8 inch thick layer.Cut the dough into circles with round cookie cutters or biscuit cutters.

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Beef Empanada Fillings

It's exquisite aroma and taste of this beefy filling find its influence way back from the Classic and South American countries like Peru, Chilean, Argentinian and Puerto Rican. It is traditionally eaten as a streetfood that are ideal for those people who are always on the go.

INGREDIENTS:

How to Prepare:

1. Cut each egg crosswise into 10 thin slices.

2. Cook onion in olive oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until softened. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef and cook, breaking up lumps with a fork, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

3. Add raisins, olives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and tomatoes with reserved juice, then cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced but mixture is still moist, about 5 minutes. Spread on a plate to cool.

4. Preheat oven to 200°F with rack in middle.

5. Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on a dampened work surface (to help keep plastic in place), then roll out an empanada disk on plastic wrap to measure about 6 inches. Place 3 tablespoons meat mixture on disk and top with 2 slices of egg. Moisten edges of disk with water and fold over to form a semicircle, then crimp with a fork. Make more empanadas in same manner.

6. Heat 3/4 inch vegetable oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it registers 360°F on thermometer. Fry empanadas, 2 or 3 at a time, turning once, until crisp and golden, 4 to 6 minutes per batch.

7. Transfer to a shallow baking pan and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 360°F between batches.

Tips: Empanadas can be brushed with oil and baked on an oiled baking sheet in a 425°F oven until golden, about 10 minutes. (They will not be as crisp as fried empanadas.)
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Yves-Admin