Serves: each variation makes approximately 12 empanadas
Three variations of golden, flaky empanadas: Beef & Dried Plum, Eggplant & Goat Cheese, and Beef, Bell Pepper and Egg. To make the empanadas, Lilu recommends using La Salteña Hojaldrados empanada wrappers (pictured above) if you can find them at your local grocery store/Latino market. If you can't, however, you can try another brand, make your own dough (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Empanada-Dough-230786), or experiment with using puff pastry or pie crust. If you plan to make your own empanada wrappers, dough should be rolled into 5-inch discs about ⅛-inch thick.
Ingredients
BEEF & DRIED PLUM EMPANADAS:
Splash of coconut oil
1 ¾ cup diced onion
½ lb ground beef
1 ½ tsp sugar + extra for sprinkling
dash or two of salt
couple dashes of cinnamon
7 prunes (dried plums)
5 tbsp dried cranberries
1 package La Salteña Hojaldrados empanada wrappers
1 egg, lightly beaten
EGGPLANT & GOAT CHEESE EMPANADAS:
Splash of olive oil
⅔ cup diced red bell pepper
⅔ cup diced yellow or green bell pepper
1 ¼ cup diced onion
5 cups peeled eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
1 package La Salteña Hojaldrados empanada wrappers
1 egg, lightly beaten
BEEF, BELL PEPPER, AND EGG EMPANADAS:
Splash of olive oil
⅓ cup diced carrots
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
¼ cup diced yellow or green bell pepper
½ cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
½ lb ground beef
few dashes dried oregano (or mixed Italian seasoning)
salt and pepper to taste
1 package La Salteña Hojaldrados empanada wrappers
1 egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
BEEF & DRIED PLUM EMPANADAS:
Heat a splash of coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy bottom pan. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the ground beef, the sugar, and a few shakes of salt. Cook until the beef is browned, then add a dash or two of cinnamon. Stir in the prunes and the dried cranberries and cook for a minute more. Taste and adjust your seasonings as needed. Strain and transfer mixture to a bowl to cool. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Wrap mixture in empanada dough according to directions below, placing each empanada onto a greased baking sheet as you go. Brush the tops/sides of the empanada dough with a lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 12 minutes on the bottom rack of your oven, then for 5 minutes on the top rack. Let cool 5-10 minutes; enjoy while still warm.
EGGPLANT & GOAT CHEESE EMPANADAS:
Heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy bottom pan. Add both bell peppers and the eggplant and cook, covered, for 10-15 minutes until the eggplant is almost done. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 5 minutes more, until the onion is softened and the eggplant is tender. Strain and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the crumbled goat cheese and allow to cool. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Wrap mixture in empanada dough according to directions below, placing each empanada onto a greased baking sheet as you go. Brush the tops/sides of the empanada dough with a lightly beaten egg. Bake for 12 minutes on the bottom rack of your oven, then for 5 minutes on the top rack. Let cool 5-10 minutes; enjoy while still warm.
BEEF, BELL PEPPER AND EGG EMPANADAS:
Heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy bottom pan. Add the carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Add both bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the onion and garlic and cook an additional 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Turn heat down to medium-low, then add the chopped egg, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Strain and transfer mixture to a bowl to cool. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Wrap mixture in empanada dough according to directions below, placing each empanada onto a greased baking sheet as you go. Brush the tops/sides of the empanada dough with a lightly beaten egg. Bake for 12 minutes on the bottom rack of your oven, then for 5 minutes on the top rack. Let cool 5-10 minutes; enjoy while still warm.
FOR ALL EMPANADAS:
To form a sealed empanada: Place a disc of empanada dough in the palm of your hand, and scoop about ⅓ cup of the filling of your choice onto the center of the disc. Using your finger, brush a bit of water around one half of the top side of the disc (think of a half-moon). This will help seal the edges. Fold one half of the dough over the filling, carefully lining up the edges, to form a semi-circle. Pinch the dough to seal the empanada closed. Set the empanada on a greased baking sheet, and use a fork to crimp down on the edge (refer to pictures above).
To form an open-faced empanada: Place a disc of empanada dough in the palm of your hand, and scoop about ⅓ cup of the filling of your choice onto the center of the disc. Using your finger, brush a bit of water around the entire rim of the disc (on the side facing up). This well help seal the edges. Fold a small section of the edge into a “U” shape, pinch together, and fold again to form an “S” shape (refer to pictures above). Pinch together. Repeat this step all the way around the edge of the disc.
Recipe by dramatic pancake at https://www.dramaticpancake.com/lilu-empanadas-three-ways/