Empanadas

By vealam

Ingredients

• FOR THE DOUGH:
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• Pinch paprika
• 2 3/4 cups (12.4 ounces) flour
• FOR THE BEEF FILLING:
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and minced
• 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pound ground beef (85-90% lean)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1 small russet potato, peeled, finely diced, and boiled
• 3 scallions, trimmed and chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

For the dough:
Heat the water and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter has melted. Add in the salt, paprika, and flour. Remove from heat and stir with a wooden spoon until a wet and oily dough comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
For the filling:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onions, bell peppers, paprika, red pepper flakes, white pepper, and cumin until onions are soft. Add the beef, season to taste with salt, and cook until the beef is browned. Drain off the fat. Add in the potatoes and scallions, if using.

Preheat the oven to 400. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 5-inch circles. Roll each circle slightly to further flatten before placing about 2 tablespoons of filling on each circle. Sprinkle lightly with cheese, if using. Fold over the dough and press the edges firmly to seal. Crimp with the back of a fork. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Recipe Tips
Dough
The dough recipe is very similar to a basic French choux but without the eggs. It may seem weird to start a dough in the saucepan if you aren’t familiar with this method, but it is seriously one of the quickest and easiest doughs to work with. It does need to chill for a minimum of 2 hours, so keep that in mind as you plan this recipe! I have not tried the dough with whole wheat flour, but feel free to start by substituting only half the all-purpose with white whole wheat flour (preferably).

Filling
The recipe below is for a very basic beef filling. Feel free to omit or change practically anything – it’s meant to be customized! Note that the filling recipe makes a generous amount, if you have leftovers feel free to store in the fridge. I like to use it for lettuce wraps, scrambling with eggs, or filling a burrito. Leftovers from other meals (like cooked meat or even mashed potatoes) also make great empanada fillings! Check out my other recipes for Breakfast Empanadas and Chorizo Empanadas! Even plain cheese empanadas are scrumptious.

Be sure not to overfill your empanadas as you assemble, which is easy to do. Use a little less than you think to prevent any holes or tears in the dough and to prevent them from bursting open as they bake.

Assembling
Watch the video above to see how I assemble step-by-step. You’ll get better at it with practice. This is the most time-consuming part so turn on some tunes or grab a kitchen buddy to help! Your emapandas don’t have to look perfect – most imperfections will vanish as they bake.

Baking
That’s right! These emapanadas are baked, not fried (though no one would ever guess they’re so good). If you make empanadas that are smaller or bigger than the size created in the recipe, adjust the baking time accordingly.

Flavor
Again, feel free to add any flavorings you want! I like to dip the baked empanadas in salsa, gaucamole, or even sour cream.

Make Ahead
TO REFRIGERATE: The dough can be wrapped in plastic and stored in the fridge for one day before using. The filling can also be cooked and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a day. The assembled unbaked empanadas can also be covered in plastic and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days, no need to change the baking time.

TO FREEZE: Freeze the sheet of unbaked empanadas until solid, then transfer into a freezer bag. Frozen empanadas will keep for up to three months and can be baked straight from the freezer. Add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.

Fully baked empanadas can also be frozen, though they lose a bit of their flaky texture. To prevent freezer burn, wrap them individually in plastic wrap. To reheat, unwrap as many empanadas as you want and warm in a low oven or toaster oven.