La Cocina de Leslie: Empanadas

Showing posts with label Empanadas. Show all posts

I have a confession to make... As much as I love empanadas, there is a certain empanada that I rarely ever make - Empanadas de Piña (Pineapple Empanadas). Not because I don't love them (which I totally do), but because there are the only two kinds of empanadas sold at most panaderías (bakeries) in my small town: pineapple and vanilla. Usually when I make empanadas at home, it's because I'm craving a kind that I just can't find here in Small Town, Mexico. But pineapple empanadas are so sweet and delicious, that every once in a while, I just HAVE to make them at home, because homemade pineapple empanadas are that good.

Homemade Pineapple Empanadas - lacocinadeleslie.com

11 May 2014

Empanadas de Piña (Pineapple Empanadas) #SundaySupper

Ham & Cheese Biscuit Empanadas - lacocinadeleslie.com

Even after having lived in Mexico for 13 years, every once in a while Hubby and I still get cravings for foods we ate when we lived in the US. Whenever that happens, I head into the kitchen and whip up a homemade version made from scratch that not only satisfies our craving, but also tastes a million times better than the original food we were craving. That is how today's recipe came to be. Hubby was craving Hot Pockets, which for those of you unfamiliar with them are savory turnovers sold in the frozen food section of the grocery store.

I first made these shortly after we moved to Mexico. I remember the first time I made them, I used my regular pie dough recipe for the crust. They were okay, but I wanted something flakier like a biscuit. After a couple of tries, I finally got it right. This biscuit empanada dough is buttery, tender and flaky. I make my biscuit dough from scratch, but for a quick and easy weeknight supper you could use refrigerated biscuit dough. (Oh how I miss the "pop" of those tubes.)

08 April 2014

Chipotle Ham, Cheese & Broccoli Biscuit Empanadas #WeekdaySupper

Today is one of those food holidays that I just couldn't let slip by unnoticed. That's why I suggested to Girlichef that we celebrate this special holiday for She Made/Ella Hace this month. In case you didn't know, today is Empanada Day! Now, isn't that the kind of holiday that you could really get behind. Since Girlichef and I already shared a sweet empanada recipe with all of you a couple of months ago, I also suggested that we make savory empanadas.

And since this month in my cocina is going to be dedicated to Kids' Favorite Recipes (because April is Children's Month in Mexico), I thought I'd start the celebration by sharing my 15 year old daughter's favorite savory empanadas, which also happen to be made with what I believe to be one of the best flavor combinations ever...chicken, corn & roasted poblano peppers. (Swoon!)

The empanada crust is buttery, crisp and flaky. And the filling is creamy and cheesy, with just a hint of spice from the roasted poblano peppers. I like these Poblano Chicken Empanadas as is, but Hope (my daughter) thinks they're best when dipped in Mexican crema!

Poblano Chicken Empanadas

Ingredients:

2 c. flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cold butter
4 tablespoons ice water
2 poblano peppers
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small can golden corn kernels, drained
1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
6 oz. asadero or Oaxaca cheese, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 egg, slightly beaten

Directions:

For the empanada dough: In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Using a potato masher, cut in the butter until the flour turns a golden yellow color and the butter pieces are no larger than a pea. Stir in enough cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the filling:

Roast the poblano peppers on a comal or over an open flame, until the skin has charred evenly all over. Place in a plastic bag and let set for about 10 minutes. (This allows the chilies to sweat, making them easier to peel.) Peel off the charred skin from the roasted peppers and remove the seeds. Chop the poblano peppers into bite-size pieces.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over high heat. Add the onion and saute until transluscent, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken and saute until the chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the poblano peppers, corn kernels, and Mexican crema. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 15 minutes until the chicken pieces are tender. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in cheese cubes.

Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out the empanada dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a large square cookie cutter or sharp paring knife, cut the dough into 4 to 6-inch squares. (The bigger the squares, the bigger the empanada.) Spoon desired amount of filling into the center of each square of dough. Lightly moisten the edges of the dough with water. Fold the empanada dough diagonally over the filling to form triangles. Press edges to seal. Transfer the empanadas to a generously greased baking sheet. Brush the tops of the empanadas with the beaten egg. Pierce the center of each empanada once with a fork. (This allows the steam to escape and prevents dough from puffing.)

Bake the empanadas at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with Mexican crema. Enjoy!!!

Now head on over to Girlichef's blog to wish her a Happy Empanada Day and to check out her Empanadas de Picadillo.

08 April 2013

Poblano Chicken Empanadas {She Made/Ella Hace}

I can't remember if it was Girlichef's idea or mine to make empanadas for She Made/Ella Hace this month, I just know that I was more than happy to oblige. I'm always looking for an excuse to make empanadas, mostly because there are only two kinds of empanadas sold in my small town: Empanadas de Piña (pineapple) and Empanadas de Leche (vanilla custard). That's it! Well, sometimes you can also find strawberrry jam filled empanadas, with a crumbly cookie-like crust, which I love. But for She Made/Ella Hace, there was really only one kind of empanada I wanted to make...Pumpkin Empanadas!

Pumpkin Empanadas have been my absolute all-time favorite empanadas since I was a little girl. They were the only kind I chose at the Mexican panadería (bakery). But as much as I enjoyed the Pumpkin Empanadas from the panadería, they were nothing compared to the ones my grandpa used to make. The dough was buttery and tender. And the filling was only slightly sweet, but bursting with flavor. You could taste each of the spices as soon as the filling touched your tongue.

I really think my grandpa missed his calling. He was an expert baker. About once a month, Pappy would make three or four different kinds of empanadas. My favorites were calabaza (pumpkin), manzana (apple), and ciruela pasa (prunes). But like most Mexican cooks, he never wrote anything down, and never bothered to measure ingredients. I wish I would have paid more attention to how Pappy made his dough, because to this day, I haven't been able to recreate it. Thankfully, my go-to cream cheese empanada dough works perfectly with this recipe.

The important thing is that I've got the filling down perfectly. As I was cooking the pumpkin filling for the empanadas, the aroma of the spices floated through the air, making my house smell like Christmas. So warm and inviting. Even Hubby and a couple of his customers commented about the intoxicating aroma in the shop. If I closed my eyes for just a second, it felt like I was standing in my grandparents' little kitchen for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Empanaditas de Calabaza
(Mini-Pumpkin Empanada Bites)

Ingredients:
For the Pumpkin Filling:

2 cups homemade pumpkin puree (or canned)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon butter

For the dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
6 oz. butter, room temperature

Egg Wash:

1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
For the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the pumpkin puree with the sugars and ground spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Cook over low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved and the pumpkin puree is heated through. Remove from heat and stir in the butter; set aside and let cool to room temperature.

Prepare the dough, combine the flour and salt. With the help of a potato masher, add in the cream cheese and butter to the flour, until no trace of flour is visible. Press the dough together to form a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. Return one half of the dough to the refrigerator, while you work with the other half. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, or between two sheets of plastic wrap, to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out circles with a 3-inch round cookie cutter or empanada mold.

To make the empanadas, spoon about a teaspoonful of pumpkin puree into the center of each circle of dough. Using the tip of your finger, lightly moisten the outer edge of the dough with water. Gently fold the dough circle in half, pressing the edges together with the tines of a fork to seal in the filling. Pierce the center of each empanada with a fork. (This allows for the steam to escape.) Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Continue with the remaining dough. Refrigerate the uncooked empanadas for about 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Brush the uncooked empanadas with the slightly beaten egg, then sprinkle a little of the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove the empanadas from oven and let cool for about one minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with coffee or Mexican Hot Chocolate. Enjoy!!!

Recipe yields about 24 to 30 Mini Pumpkin Empanadas.

Now head on over to Girlichef's blog! She's made TWO different kinds of empanadas: Apple w/ Almond Paste AND Pumpkin with Piloncillo & Cinnamon.

What's your favorite kind of empanada?

26 October 2012

Mini Pumpkin Empanada Bites {She Made / Ella Hace}

Today, I am going to share with you one of my all-time favorite sweet treats...Empanadas. But these aren't just any ordinary empanadas; these are my ~~very~~ berry best Strawberry Empanadas! I make them all the time! They're like my signature empanada, with an irresistible flaky cream cheese crust.

But before we get to the empanada recipe, let's talk about the filling...Homemade Strawberry Jam, made with fresh strawberries and a surprise ingredient...ground cinnamon. I think the ground cinnamon really enhances the flavor of the strawberries.

If you've never made your own jam, freaketh not! It's very simple. All you need is strawberries and sugar. (And a dash of my surprise ingredient!) This recipe yields enough for about 1 cup of jam, which is the perfect amount for making Strawberry Empanadas, so no complicated canning is necessary.

Mermelada de Fresa
(Homemade Strawberry Jam)

Ingredients:

2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Combine the strawberries, sugar and ground cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat just until the sugar begins to melt. Reduce heat to low and simmer the jam for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Cool slightly and pour into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup; cool completely. Spread on toast, use as part of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or use as a filling for the Strawberry Empanada recipe below. Enjoy!!!

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And now for the Strawberry Empanadas...

My Hubby and kiddies think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread. Sweet homemade strawberry jam wrapped inside tender, flaky crust made with tart and tangy cream cheese...goodness gracious! Strawberries & Cream Cheese are one of those flavor combinations that are a match made in Heaven. And these Strawberry Empanadas are just heavenly!

But don't take my word for it. These Strawberry Empanadas are so easy to put together, making them just that more divine.

Strawberry Empanadas

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
Homemade Strawberry Jam
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

Place the flour, cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl.

Using a pastry blender, potato masher or your hands, cut the cream cheese and butter into the flour until no large pieces are visible.

Continue combining the ingredients with your hands until the dough forms a ball. (This can be done in a food processor as well.) Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.