April 8th – National Empanada Day ….

An empanada is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling, common in Southern European, Latin American, and the Philippines cultures. The name comes from the Galician verb empanar, and translates as “enbreaded”, that is, wrapped or coated in bread. They are made by folding dough over a filling, which may consist of meat, cheese, tomato, corn, or other ingredients, and then cooking the resulting turnover, either by baking or frying.

Origin

The origin of the dish is unknown, but it is believed that this  treat originated in Galicia, the region of Spain. They were mentioned for the first time in a  cookbook published in Catalan in  year 1520. “Llibre del Coch” by Robert de Nola, mentions empanadas filled with seafood in the recipes for Catalan, Italian, French, and Arabian food.

The same dish – different country

• Argentina

Argentine empanadas are often served during parties and festivals as a starter or main course. Shops specialize in freshly made empanadas, with many flavors and fillings.

Every region of Argentina has its own characteristic variant. Most popular fillings include : potatoes, peppers, and ground chili; hard-boiled egg, red bell pepper, olives, and raisins; chicken breast, garlic, ground chili, hard-boiled egg, and cumin; river fish  or with white sauce and Goya cheese; lamb; seafood and many ,many more…

• Ecuador

In the country of Ecuador empanadas are called “empanadas de viento” and often fried and filled with stringy cheese and sometimes a touch of onion. Granulated sugar is sprinkled on top after cooking.

• Indonesia

In Indonesia, empanadas are known as panada. In the cuisine of North Sulawesi panada has thick crust made from fried bread, filled with spicy cakalang fish (skipjack tuna) and chili, curry, potatoes, or quail eggs. The panada in North Sulawesi was derived from Portuguese influence in the region. This dish almost similar to karipap and pastel, although those snacks have thinner crust compared to panada.

• Philippines

Empanadas in Philippines  usually have ground beef, pork or chicken, potatoes, chopped onions, and raisins though in a somewhat sweet, wheat flour bread. There are two kinds available: the baked sort and the flaky fried type. To lower costs, potatoes are often added as an extender, while another filling is kutsay (garlic chives).

• Belize

In Belize, empanadas are known as panades. They are made with masa (corn dough) and typically stuffed with fish, chicken, or beans. They are typically deep fried and served with a cabbage or salsa topping. Panades are commonly sold as street food.

• Sicily (Italy)

The “Mpanatigghi” are stuffed,  halfmoon-shaped cookies filled with a mixture of almonds, walnuts, chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and minced beef They are also known as “dolce di carne” (pasty of meat). They were probably introduced by the Spaniards during their rule in Sicily in the sixteenth century.  The unusual combination of meat and chocolate, which is clearly visible in the Spanish cuisine.

• Chile

In Chile, empanadas are a staple part of the national cuisine. The most common type of Chilean empanada is what is referred to as the “empanada de Pino”, it is a baked empanada filled with diced or ground beef sautéed with onions and spices, half of a hardboiled egg, an olive, and raisins .

• United States

Empanadas, mainly based on South American recipes, are widely available in New York City, New Jersey, and Miami from food carts, food trucks, and restaurants. Empanadas are usually found in U.S. areas with a large Hispanic population, such as San Antonio and Los Angeles. With the ground beef or chicken ones, to be the most popular here.

Empanada recipe ideas:

Traditional Beef Empanadas

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 3 oz  water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup of plain flour, sifted
• 2 oz of  margarine, melted

For the filling:

• 2 oz  butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
• 12 oz minced beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• teaspoon paprika
• medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

Preparation:

For the empanada pastry:

• Warm the water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir well until salt is dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool down for a little bit.
• Combine sifted flour and melted margarine in a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Pour the salted water gradually into the food processor, and pulse until a soft pastry ball is formed and easily separates from the bowl. Add more water (1 teaspoon at a time) if necessary. Wrap tightly in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

For the filling:

• Preheat oven to 410 F. Cover a baking tray with aluminum foil, brush with vegetable oil and set aside.
• In the meantime, melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook and stir the onions and spring onions until tender. Add chopped red peppers and cook for another 5 minutes. Add minced beef and stir with a wooden spoon until fully browned. Season with salt, cayenne pepper, cumin and paprika. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add cubed potatoes and cook for 8 to 10 minutes; drain and add to filling. Toss in chopped eggs and let it stand and cool down for a couple of minutes.
• Remove pastry from the fridge and knead gently on a floured surface. Divide dough in half and roll out each portion to 2mm thickness.
• Cut 4-inch  circles with a pastry cutter or sharp knife and wet the edges lightly with water. Add 1 large tablespoon of filling in the center of each disc, fold the pastry over, and press and seal with a fork. Transfer to the prepared baking tray.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool just a little before serving.

Puerto Rican Chicken Empanadas (Empanadillas De Pollo)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tbsp sofrito homemade is best!
• 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes 14.5 oz
• 1/2 tsp Sazon all-purpose seasoning con (culantro y achiote available in the ethnic/Latin food aisle)
• 1/2 tsp Adobo all-purpose seasoning available in the ethnic/Latin food aisle
• 1/2 tsp powdered chicken bouillon
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp sugar, honey, or agave nectar
• 2 tbsp pimento stuffed olives, chopped optional
• 3 cups cooked & shredded chicken breast about 2 large or 3 medium chicken breasts
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 package frozen empanada discs, defrosted , large size
• canola oil for frying

Preparation:

• In a sauté pan on medium heat, add the olive oil and sofrito. Sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant.
• Add the tomatoes (with the juice), sazon, adobo, powdered chicken bouillon, cumin, sugar and chopped olives, if using.
• Stir to combine and lower the heat to a simmer. Let this mixture to cook for 5-7 minutes, or until most of the liquid from the diced tomatoes has evaporated.
• Add the chicken and stir thoroughly to combine. You want to make sure the chicken turns golden from the tomato/spice mixture. Cook for 1 minute to warm the chicken through,
• Place the chicken mixture in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for 15-30 minutes in the fridge.
• Divide the chicken mixture between the defrosted empanada discs, making sure not to overfill. Crimp the edges completely with a fork.
• Fry the empanadas for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown.
• Served right away. Bubbly hot.

Coconut Curry Chicken Empanadas

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 teaspoons of  granulated Chicken Flavor Bouillon
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 2/3 cup  of Evaporated Milk
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 4 (about 1 1/4 pounds) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into very thin strips
• 24 empanada wrappers
• 1 large egg

Preparation:

• Heat  1 tablespoon oil in small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until golden. Stir in curry powder and bouillon; cook for 1 minute. Add coconut milk, evaporated milk, raisins, and coconut; cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 10 minutes or until reduced by half.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Increase heat to high; cook chicken, stirring frequently, for about 6 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in the coconut curry sauce.
• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• rounded tablespoons of mixture in center of each wrapper. Fold edge over filling to form a half circle. Crimp edges to seal. Place on baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Ham and Cheese Empanadas

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 8 ounces cooked ham, chopped
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 8 ounces mild Cheddar that has been shredded
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1 package empanada wrappers

Egg Wash:

• 1 large egg lightly beaten, combined with 1 tablespoon water

Preparation:

• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the Onion and parsley, Sautee until the onion is translucent. Remove from Heat and transfer to a bowl. Add the chopped ham, bread crumbs, cheese, sour cream, egg and a dash of salt and pepper, mixing well.
• Begin assembling the Empanadas by adding 2-3 Heaping Tablespoons of filling in the center of each empanada wrapper. Lightly moisten the edge of the wrapper/pastry with the egg wash mixture (use a pastry brush or your finger!) and fold the filled pastry in half and seal by crimping. If you do not have a pastry crimper, crimp the edges with a fork that has been dipped in flour. Pierce each Empanada with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking, or they make Explode.
• Refrigerate Empanadas for 30 minutes prior to baking or frying.
• Preheat the oven to 375F- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place the Empanadas on it. Brush each Empanada with the egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes.

TIP* If you want to make a bunch and freeze them, prepare them as directed above, place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and place in the freezer until quite firm. Remove and them stack them in vacuum seal or Ziplock bags or a resealable container with sheets of wax paper between each Empanada. Extend baking time by 15 minutes if they are frozen when you start!

Empanadas de Espinaca (Spinach Empanadas)

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• pinch paprika
• 1 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup lard or butter melted

For the Filling:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon red chile powder
• 8 ounces fresh spinach stems removed and thinly sliced
• 1 cup ricotta
• 8 ounces whole milk mozzarella or queso quesadilla shredded
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan grated
• salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

• 1 egg yolk beaten with a splash of water

Preparation:

• In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and paprika. Slowly pour in the water and melted butter while stirring to make a smooth, cohesive dough. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• In a medium saucepan, heat butter and olive oil over medium high heat. Once the butter is melted, cook the garlic and red chile powder just until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets. Divide dough into 12 large or 24 small equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll a piece of dough into a circle about 3/8 inch thick. Place 2-3 tablespoons filling in the middle for large empanadas or 1-1 1/2 tablespoons filling for small. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together to seal. Starting at one end, pull the edge out slightly and fold over, repeating until you reach the other side to create a rope appearance. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake on prepared baking sheets until golden, 20-25 minutes.

Shrimp Empanada

Ingredients:

• 15 x  21-25 size raw shrimp roughly chopped
• 3 Tablespoon butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
• 1/4 cup queso fresco chopped
• 12 6″ empanada dough disks thawed
• 1 beaten egg
• Shrimp Marinade
• 3 tsp sherry wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoon parsley chopped

Preparation:

• Make the shrimp marinade in a medium bowl and mix well. Mix in the chopped shrimp and set aside.
• In a skillet on medium high heat, melt the butter and then add the onion + red pepper + garlic. Cook for 7 minutes until caramelized, then add marinated shrimp + salt + smoked paprika and cook until shrimp is pink. Remove from heat, add fresh parsley, and let mixture cool.
• When the mixture is cooled, add the queso fresco and mix well.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Put some egg wash on the edge of an empanada dough. Put two Tablespoons  of the shrimp mixture in the middle and then fold the dough in half to enclose in half moon shape. Rope the edges or use a fork to seal the edges closed.
• Brush egg wash over the top of each empanada and bake for 30-35 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Serve warm.

Cream cheese and Guava Sweet Empanada

Ingredients:

• 2 cups  of All Purpose Flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup  of All-Vegetable Shortening (well chilled, cut in 1/2-inch cubes)
• 6 tablespoons ice water
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 10 Equal
• 2 cups guava paste (diced)
• Canola Oil
• powdered sugar

Preparation:

• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Cut in chilled shortening cubes with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces of shortening remaining. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons ice water over flour mixture. Using a fork, draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top, distributing moisture evenly throughout flour mixture. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until dough is moist enough to hold together when pressed into a ball. Shape into a 1/2-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.
• Cut pastry dough into 10 equal pieces. Shape into 10 small patties. Roll out one piece on a lightly floured surface to a 6-inch circle. Place 1 slice cream cheese on pastry circle, slightly off center. Top with 2 rounded tablespoons guava paste. Brush edges of pastry with water. Fold pastry in half, covering filling. Seal edges with tines of fork or crimp edges to seal. Repeat to make 9 additional empanadas. Cover and chill until ready to cook.
• Heat 1 1/2 inches canola oil in heavy large saucepan or electric fryer over medium-high heat to 350°F. Cook empanadas, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning halfway through cooking time. Drain on paper towels. Let cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar just before serving.

Mushroom & Vegetable Empanadas

  Ingredients:

For the Filling:

• ¾ cup onion – finely diced
• ¾ cup green bell pepper – finely diced
• ½ cup mild pepper such as an Anaheim chili pepper – finely diced, one pepper
• 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper adobo sauce – finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chia seed
• 8 ounces tomato sauce – 1 small can
• 1 ½ pounds mushrooms – button mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the Dough:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup warm water

Preparation:

• In a skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil on medium heat and add the onion and both peppers. Sauté until the onion is translucent – about 15 – 20 minutes.
• Add the garlic, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce and the seasonings. Cook 5 more minutes. Add the tomato sauce and cook 5 more minutes. Add the chia seed if you are including it and stir.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• In another large skillet heat another tablespoon of oil to medium low.
• Add the mushroom and Sautée for about 20 minutes. If your mushrooms do not fit in the pan at first – that is okay. They cook down by about half. Do not stir to start with. After the ones that fit easily into the pan have cooked a little while (about 10 minutes) you will see you have more room in the pan. Now flip the mushrooms and add the rest of the mushrooms. Continue sautéing. If they all fit in the pan to start with then fine.
• You will see that a lot of liquid is in the pan. Pour what you can off and continue cooking another 5 minutes or so. You do not want all that liquid in your empanada dough.
• When the mushrooms are done, and the liquid is poured off go ahead and add the onion and pepper and tomato mixture (that is sofrito).
• Stir all together and set aside to cool down for stuffing the dough rounds.

For the dough:

• You can buy the pre-made empanada discs, but this is such a easy recipes to make them fresh at home.
• Add the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda to a large bowl.
• Pour in the ¼ cup oil and 1 cup warm water.
• You can mix this with a wooden spoon or a hand mixer. I prefer a hand mixer.  It does not take long to come together.
• Pour all out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 50 – 60 times.
• Make into a ball and lightly cover with a little bit more oil.  Lay a dishtowel over the ball and let rest 10 minutes.
• Next, cut the ball in half, then cut those in half again, then each into thirds so that you have 12 sections.
• Roll each one into a ball and flatten out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a pastry roller to help roll the balls out to about 5-6″ in diameter.
• Place about ¼ cup of the filling (at the most) in the center of each dough round.
• Fold over to make a crescent shape. Fold the edges over so that you get a good seal. Sometimes I am able to fold over twice.
• Press the tines of a fork, lightly, over the folded edge just to make a little bit of a better seal.
• If you have a deep fryer you can use that for your frying. If not put about 1-½” to 2″ depth of coconut oil in a frying pan and heat to 325° to 375°. A candy thermometer will measure the heat for you if you are using a pan.
• Carefully place 2 empanadas into the hot oil and flip when one side turns golden brown. It does not even take a minute.

Leeks, Gouda Cheese and Mushrooms Empanada

Ingredients:

• Makes: 12 empanadas
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 leeks, finely chopped
• 200g porcini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon plain flour
• 300g Gouda cheese, grated
• 12 empanada pastry discs
• 1 egg, beaten

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 200 C / Gas 6. Cover a baking tray with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray and set aside.
• In a frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir the chopped leeks for 5 minutes, until tender. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir occasionally. Add flour and stir well until combined. It will have a “sticky look”. Remove from heat and add grated cheese. Let it stand for a couple of minutes.
• Arrange the empanada pastry on a flat surface. Wet edges lightly with warm water. Put 1 big dollop of filling in the center, fold dough over, and seal edges by pressing with a fork. Transfer to baking tray, brush with lightly beaten egg .
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool down for 5 minutes before serving.

Dominican Pork Empanadas

Ingredients:

• Pork cooking ingredients
• 2 pork tenderloins
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 small yellow onion chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic minced
• 2 tbs corn oil
• 1/2 green pepper chopped
• 1/2 yellow pepper chopped
• 1/4 cup salad olives with its juices
• 1/2 tsp adobo
• 1/4 tsp ground oregano
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• cilantro chopped, added to taste
• 20 empanada discs
• corn oil up to 1 inch deep in skillet

Preparation:

• Seasoning the pork tenderloin
• Slice the tenderloin in half lengthwise. In a large bowl or Ziploc bag, add the sliced pork, adobo, oregano, salt, lime juice, pepper, and garlic. Mix well. 
• Refrigerate overnight or a minimum of 4 hours.
• In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add pork to the skillet. Cook until both sides are browned, and pork is cooked through but not dried out.
• When pork is done, place on a cutting board and chop into small pieces. Keep skillet with its juices on the side as you will be adding the veggies to it.
• In the same skillet you cooked the pork, add onions, olives, peppers, cilantro, and pepper.
• Cook over medium-low heat until juices are absorbed, pork is beginning to brown more, and veggies become tender.
• Place one full tablespoon of the pork filling onto the center of the discs. You may add a piece or two extra if you think they can fit.
• With (clean) fingers wet the empanada disc all around. Fold in half and press disc edges down with the tips of a fork until fully sealed. Repeat with all discs. one at a time.
• Make sure to place uncooked empanadas side by side and not on top of each other as they will stick together.
• Fry the empanadas over medium heat in a large skillet. Make sure not to overcrowd. This is all about cooking the dough and it should take only a couple of minutes on each side.

Shrimp and Bacon Empanadas

Ingredients:

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño chiles, to taste
• 3 green onions, sliced, white and green parts divided
• 1 cup coarsely chopped cooked shrimp
• 1 can (16.3 oz) Flaky Layers refrigerated Original biscuits
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

Preparation:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat; add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon then  add jalapeño chiles and white parts of onion to skillet. Cook 4 minutes; stir in shrimp, green onions, and bacon.
• Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Press or roll each to form 6-inch round. Scoop 1/4 cup bacon mixture on center of each round; top each with 2 tablespoons cheese.
• Fold each in half, gently stretching dough over filling.
• Using fork, press seams to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 24 to 26 minutes or until golden brown.

Mango Chimichurri Empanadas

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4-pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup pimento stuffed green olives, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 2 large mangos (about 2 pounds), peeled, pitted, and diced
• 2 packages store bought pie dough
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• For the Mango Chimichurri
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/2 large mango, peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• In a large non-stick skillet heat olive oil over medium heat, add onion and cook for about 6 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne and canned tomatoes, simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened.
• Transfer beef mixture to large bowl. Softly mix in olives, cheese, and diced mango.
• Unwrap and unroll each piece of pie dough, divide each into 4 sections. Place approximately ¼ cup filling on bottom third of each piece. Fold dough over filling and crimp edges closed using fingers or fork.
• Whisk egg and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl, brush egg wash over top of each empanada. Pierce top of empanadas with fork to allow steam to escape.
• Bake for about 40 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature with mango chimichurri.

Black bean and sweet potato Empanadas

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ cup finely diced shallot (from 1 small)
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 2 tsp. adobo sauce
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 packed cups chopped baby spinach
• 1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1½ cups sweet potato mash (from about 1 large baked sweet potato)
• egg wash
• guacamole, sour cream, and/or salsa, for serving

For the crust:

• 2¼ cups flour
• 1½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup ice water
• 1 tbsp. white vinegar

Preparation:

• Whisk together the flour and salt for the crust. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter, working until the butter is about the size of peas and well mixed with the flour.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg. Stir in the ice water and vinegar.
• Gently mix the liquid with the flour, using a fork in a fluffing motion. When all of the liquid has been mixed in and the dough is in large clumps, turn it out of the bowl onto a clean work surface. Knead 5–6 times, or until all of the shaggy bits of flour have been absorbed into the dough.
• Shape the dough into a 1″ thick rectangle and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. When the oil is hot, add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and continue to cook until the shallot is translucent and barely beginning to brown. Stir in the cumin, coriander, adobo, and salt.
• Stir in the spinach and let it wilt for 1 minute. Add the black beans and sweet potato mash and stir until all of the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.
• Remove the filling from the heat and let it cool while rolling out the crust dough.
• Heat the oven to 400°.
• Remove the dough from the fridge . Roll it out to about ¼″ thickness. Use a 6″ round cutter  to cut circles. Re-roll the dough as needed to incorporate the scraps. Aim for 7–8 dough circles.
• Transfer the crust rounds to a lined baking sheet. Brush the edges with egg wash.
• Drop about ⅓ cup of the filling in the center of each circle. There may be a little filling left over, but do not give in to the temptation to over-fill the empanadas, or they will be unable to close.
• Fold the dough circle in half over the filling to form a filled semicircle. Press the edges together with a fork and prick the top of each empanada 3 times to create vents.
• Brush the tops of the empanadas thoroughly with egg wash.
• Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and baked through.

Portuguese Tuna and Olive Empanadas (Empanadas De Atún)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of  butter
• 1 small, finely chopped onion
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 cup of  milk
• 1 egg yolk
• salt and pepper
• 2 x  cans of tuna, drained
• 14 green olives, cut in half
• 1 egg, beaten with a drop of milk

Preparation:

• Gently fry the chopped onion, with a pinch of salt, in the tablespoon of butter until softened. You do not want any color on the onion, just let it turn translucent. Sprinkle in the flour and stir with the onions for about 30 seconds. Gradually pour in the milk and stir well, so that it forms a creamy sauce. Take off the heat and quickly stir in the egg yolk to add richness to the sauce and thicken it. Stir well and set to one side to cool slightly.
• Take one disc of pastry in your hand and dip your finger in the beaten egg. Run it along one half of the edge of the pastry. Now add a teaspoonful of the onion sauce to the center of the disc and crumble in some tuna on top. Add in two olive halves and fold the empanada wrap over, pressing the edges together to seal, so you have a half-moon shape. Press the edges well, so you have a flap around the outside edge. Now you can crimp the pastry, folding it back on itself until the empanada is sealed.
• Repeat with the rest of the empanadas and lay out on a sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Brush with the beaten egg and milk mixture and bake for 15 minutes at 390 F.