Empanada (Filipino Style)

Posted byNoriePosted inRecipe, Side dishes, Snacks

Like any dish that I cook, I did not measure anything here but I will give the approximate amounts of the ingredients.

  • 1 lb. ground pork or ground beef or half and half
  • 2 cloves of garlic crushed
  • 1 medium onion minced
  • 1 small green bell pepper or de-seeded jalapenos, diced
  • 1 medium size potato, diced small
  • 1 carrot, diced small
  • 1/2 cup frozen Peas OR
  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
  • 1 cube chicken or beef bouillon
  • 1 tsp. Patis (fish sauce) optional
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 TBS. oil for sautéing
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup water

Heat a large skillet and brown the meat.  Drain if necessary and transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside.  Add the 1 TBS oil in the skillet and sauté the garlic until fragrant and then the onions and sauté until soft.  Put the meat back and add ¼ cup water, and fish sauce if using.  Simmer for a couple of minutes and add the bay leaf, chicken or beef bouillon and the bell pepper.  Simmer for another minute and add the potatoes and carrots.  Stir occasionally to prevent burning and simmer covered until the potatoes are almost done then drop in the peas.  Taste, adjust the seasonings, and add a couple of dashes of black pepper also MSG if desired.  When the potatoes and the peas are done, turn off the heat and transfer to a container and when it is cool enough, keep in the refrigerator until ready to put in the crust.

Try to make this as dry as possible.  If it is too watery, either cook it until most of the water is evaporated or add 1 TBS flour dissolved in a little water and cook until it thickens. 

The Filipino recipe has raisins in it but I will not add them because my kids do not like raisins in any dishes.  If you prefer to include raisins, add a small box of raisins.

Empanada Crust

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 TBS sugar
  • 1/2 stick shortening (Crisco)
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vinegar
  • 1/2 cup ice water or enough to hold the dough

I’m lazy so I used a food processor to mix these ingredients; but of course, you can also use your hands to mix them manually.

Chill the shortening and butter then cut up in pieces, about where the tablespoon measuring lines are.  Put the flour in the food processor and add the salt and sugar and baking powder.  Pulse it one second to mix.  Add the chilled and cut up pieces of shortening and butter.  Pulse it for a couple of seconds until it looks like coarse sand.  Add the egg and vinegar and turn it on for a few seconds. Add the ice water while it is whirling. The food processor will resist turning.  Turn it off and dump the dough on a plastic wrap.  Wrap it and keep it in the fridge for a few hours. 

To mix the dough by hand:

 Mix the flour, sugar and salt well.  Add the cut–up and chilled shortening and butter.  Use a dough cutter or use two table knives to cut through the flour and shortening crisscrossing until the mixture has some pea size clumps.  In a small bowl, beat the egg slightly and add the vinegar and ice water. Add to the dough and mix with the hands.  Knead until smooth.  Wrap in plastic and chill in the fridge for 4 hours. 

After at least 4 hours, remove from the fridge and start the fun part.  Roll the dough on a floured surface until about 1/16” to 1/8” thick and cut circles about 3” to 4” diameter.  I used a plastic container that is about that size for a cutter.    

 Add a tablespoon of the filling; fold the top over to make a half moon.  Press the edges and seal by using the tines of a fork. 

There, you made one empanada.  Flour both surfaces and arrange on a cookie sheet and continue. 

They can be frozen at this point for later use. 

They can either be deep fried or baked in the oven. 

To bake in the oven you will need an egg wash:

1 egg beaten well, add ¼ cup milk or water.  Brush on the top of the empanada.

Bake in 350°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden. 

No need to use the egg wash if deep-frying. 

To freeze, arrange on a cookie sheet without touching and place in the freezer.  When frozen, wrap each empanada in plastic wrap. You can then put them in larger freezer bags, label and keep in the freezer. They have to be used within three months to keep the quality. 

I opted to deep-fry them because it is quicker.

Pre heat your deep fryer to 350° F.  Fry each batch for 3-4 minutes.

The modern (this age) deep fryer is a must in the kitchen if you cook a lot.  You don’t have to guess how hot the oil is and a timer in the kitchen also helps.  Perfect every time.

Don’t let them get too browned.  They won’t look brown until they are on the plate.

Very good!!  I already sampled half of them.