Empanadas
12 servings
180 minutes
Empanadas are small but hearty Spanish pastries with a crispy golden crust and aromatic filling. Their history dates back to medieval Spain when they served as convenient and nutritious food for travelers. The dough enriched with wine and butter gives them a special lightness and flakiness, while the filling—whether meat, fish, or vegetables—fills them with rich flavor. Traditionally, empanadas are fried to perfect crispness and served hot, lightly sprinkled with salt. The taste of this dish is balanced: the spiciness of the filling, the tenderness of the onion, and the freshness of parsley harmoniously intertwine with the slight acidity of tomatoes and spices. They are convenient to take along, serve for dinner or prepare for holidays, making every meal a bit cozier and tastier.
1
Pour the wine into a saucepan and add 120 ml of cream, oil, and fat. Heat slowly until the fat melts. When the mixture is close to boiling, remove the saucepan from the heat, sift in the flour, add a pinch of salt, and mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Dry white wine: 125 ml
- Pork fat: 25 g
- Butter: 25 g
- Wheat flour: 300 g
- Salt: to taste
2
Place the dough on a floured table and knead until it becomes soft and elastic. Then roll the dough into a ball, place it on a plate, cover with a towel, and let it rest for 2 hours.
- Wheat flour: 300 g
3
Prepare the filling: chop the onion and sauté in olive oil. Cut the crusts off the bread and soak it in milk - or, if using a boiled egg, crumble it. Finely chop the parsley and anchovy. Crumble the ham or chicken or mash the tuna with a fork. Thoroughly mix all ingredients with the onion and tomato puree, adding pepper and nutmeg.
- Onion: 1 head
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- White bread: 1 piece
- Parsley: 3 stems
- Anchovies: 1 piece
- Ground meat: 200 g
- Tomato puree: 3 tablespoons
- Ground black pepper: pinch
- Nutmeg: pinch
4
Place the dough on a floured table and roll it out to a thickness of about 3 mm. Cut out circles with a glass, gather the dough scraps, roll them out again, and make a few more circles.
- Wheat flour: 300 g
5
Place a heaping teaspoon of filling on one half of the circle, seal the edges well, and then shape the empanadas into crescents.
- Ground meat: 200 g
- Tomato puree: 3 tablespoons
6
Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot to 180–190 degrees. Carefully place the empanadas with a spoon and fry for 6–8 minutes until golden brown. Place on paper towels. Sprinkle with a little salt and serve hot.
- Vegetable oil: 400 ml
- Salt: to taste