Fast and flavorful

Quick dough puts tasty empanadas in fall’s appetizer arena

By Staff

 

Countries worldwide boast wrapped foods, and Latin American cultures luckily boast empanadas of both sweet and savory types.

In Argentina, beef, pork and potato fillings reign, while sweeter fruit and sweetened pumpkin fillings are favored in Mexico.

Now that summer temperatures have gone, leaving home cooks in the mood for baking, empanadas come to mind as harbingers of fall. Forget about using those tasteless refrigerated doughs to make these – your food processor will make very quick, fresh work of the batter.

We’re suggesting you try a savory filling to make appetizers that stand up to other football season munchies, or a more traditional pumpkin filling that will remind you of your nana’s kitchen.

The only thing about empanadas is there never seems to be enough.

Speaking of your abuelita, consider sharing one of her treasured recipes with other Latino Perspectives readers. See details elsewhere in this edition.

 

 

EMPANADA DOUGH

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

Filling (see following recipes)

1/3 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Cream butter and cream cheese together in a food processor with plastic blade. Add flour into creamed ingredients, processing until it forms a ball. Smooth dough into a ball; wrap in foil or cling wrap, and refrigerate overnight or up to a week.

Remove dough from refrigerator 30 minutes before using. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll out chilled dough into a thin layer. Cut rounds with either 3- or 4-inch cookie cutter. Place teaspoonful of filling in center of each round.

Moisten edges with water, using a small pastry brush or the tips of your fingers. Fold rounds over in half and press edges together. Use fork tines to decorate edge.

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet 15 to 20 minutes. Take care not let these burn. If filling is sweet, Immediately sprinkle empanadas with sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Makes enough dough for one dozen empanadas.

 

 

SAVORY FILLING

2 to 3 boiled or leftover fried potatoes, finely diced

1/2 pound cooked chorizo, crumbled

Salt to taste

1 cup prickly pear jelly dipping sauce

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix potatoes and cooked chorizo. Salt to taste.

Use 1 teaspoon filling per empanada. Bake, following instructions in empanada dough recipe.

To make sauce, gently warm prickly pear jelly, stirring occasionally, until it liquefies for dipping.

Serve warm with prickly pear dipping sauce.

Makes enough filling for two dozen empanada appetizers.

 

 

PUMPKIN FILLING

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger, optional

1/8 teaspoon cloves, optional

1/3 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Cream pumpkin and cream cheese in a small bowl. Add sugar, salt, cinnamon and ginger, mixing thoroughly. Chill for 20 minutes before filling dough.

Roll out prepared empanada dough. Cut rounds. Using teaspoon, scoop pumpkin filling onto rounds.

Moisten edges of rounds with water with a small pastry brush or the tips of your fingers. Fold rounds over in half and press edges together. Use fork tines to decorate edge.

Bake, following instruction in empanada dough recipe. Immediately sprinkle empanadas with sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Makes enough filling for two dozen empanadas.

FAST FRUIT FILLING

Perhaps the quickest way to finish an empanada is to use a gourmet  pie filling, such as apple, peach or blueberry. Decide ahead of time, so that you can make the dough circles large enough to accomodate bigger pieces of fruit. Unfortunately, these larger empanadas disappear just as quickly  as the smaller ones.

 



This article appears in the October 2006 issue of Latino Perspectives Magazine.

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