EASY EMPANADA RECIPE

        Good day, All! Today I would like to share with you the recipe of one of the dishes that I really enjoy making as much as I do eating! It is just a perfect to-go dish that you can bring with you in to any parties that you are invited or serve in your own hosted party. 

        Before I will begin with the recipe details though, let me also mention that, while I really do find this recipe easy to learn and enjoyable to do at the same time, it is the dough making that I really find time consuming. Especially the part when it had to be filled with the stuffing and pinching, forming, sealing the dough to its notably known shape of an empanada. However, this is my personal take on this and each of us is different. So without making you wait any further, here below is my recipe for Easy Filipino Empanada.      

Ingredients:

*for the stuffing*

1/2 kilo Ground meat (I personally prefer pork meat)

1 carrots

1 small sized red onions, cut in small cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced 

oil of your preference

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup green peas (I used frozen pack)

bell peppers, cut in small cubes

salt and pepper to taste

2 hard boiled eggs (optional)

*for the dough*

2 cups bread flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1 large egg, room temperature

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup white sugar

2oz unsalted butter, room temperature

pinch of salt

*yeast mixture*

2 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp white sugar

1/4 cup luke-warm water

Directions:

1. Prepare the yeast mixture by mixing the white sugar, instant yeast and water all together. Mix until all ingredients are well combined. Set aside for about 5 minutes until it rises up or shows looks puffy.

2. In a large mixing bowl, pour in bread flour and yeast mixture. Set mixer in a low speed and simultaneously add the egg, white sugar and salt. When combined, add evaporated milk. 

SIDE NOTE: Keep in mind that it is important to use eggs in room temperature else your mixture will not combine well. 

3. At this point, you may add the all purpose flour followed with butter while mixing in low speed for about 10 minutes then progress to medium speed for about 5 minutes or until you are sure that dough is all well combined. 

SIDE NOTE: You will know if you have reached this stage when you see the bottom and sides of the bowl clean -none of the ingredients left sticking on the bowl's surface

4. Transfer the dough in another bowl wiped with oil. Spray a little amount of oil on the dough as well then cover it with a cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

        Now, let us cook the empanada stuffing! :)

1. Heat a wok or pan (whatever you prefer to use. I use wok because it gives me enough space I will need in mixing the ingredients). Add the oil of your choice (I use extra virgin olive oil or canola oil).

2. Brown the ground pork meat. Add salt and pepper according to your taste preference. Once meat is done, move it in to a bowl and set aside.

3. Using the same wok or pan, saute the vegetables starting with carrots and (if raw, else add it later) green peas. Cook the vegetables until it is half-cooked, then add garlic, red onions and bell peppers. 

4. Pour in the cooked ground pork meat and raisins. Mix thoroughly.

5. Pour the stuffing in a bowl and let cool.

SIDE NOTE: Why stir fry the carrots first before the usual sauteeing of garlic, you may ask? Unless you prefer a crunchy and hard texture of carrots in your empanada it is okay to do the usual process. When using raw green peas, I suggest to have this also cooked along with the carrots, however if you are using the pre-cooked ready to use frozen pack (like I do), you may add the thawed green peas in the last part of the cooking.

Now, let's get our sleeves rolled up and start working! :)

1. Check your dough if it's ready then, partition the dough into smaller doughs weighing 450z each. Flatten each individual dough and fill with the cooked meat stuffing. You may add hard boiled eggs cut into small cube, if you like. 

2. Flip the dough to cover, and start working in sealing the empanada. I must admit that this is the part that I am still working on perfecting until this time. And this takes me so much time to complete! Every time. :)

SIDE NOTE: Why am I not providing the measurement as to how much stuffing needs to be used in filling the dough? I trust every people's judgment in deciding if the amount of stuffing is right. Some wants lesser stuffing, but I like my empanada stuffed-full. That probably is the reason why my empanadas won't seal perfectly thus they would pop-open while in the oven. 

3. Place empanadas in a cookie sheet brushed with butter to avoid it sticking. Brush each empanada with eggs. Put in a preheated oven at 350F until you see empanadas are browned. 

SIDE NOTE: Some prefer their empanadas deep fried, and that's okay. I, however, prefer mine cooked in the oven. 

4. Serve while still hot. 

 And as always, "foods cooked with love deserve to be served with a smile!"

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Please also visit my other blogs Heart And Soul Sync. Thank you! :)