9 Different Ways to Make Empanadas
Empanadas are pastry shell turnovers made by folding dough over a filling, sealing it, and cooking it, either by baking or frying. Just about every Caribbean island has a recipe for sweet or savory fillings.
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Empanada Dough
Every tasty empanada starts with the dough. In Latin Caribbean cooking you'll come across two types of dough. One is simple flour dough much like a pie crust and the other is reddish yellow dough made with yuca. You can use either dough interchangeably, but for beginners, try the simple flour dough first.
Note: Empanada dough is available in specialty markets in the form of frozen discs, usually 10 discs per pack.
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Step-By-Step Empanadas
If you are eager to make your own dough but don't know where to start, follow this empanada step-by-step guide. In this tutorial, we show you how to make home-made pizza empanadas from start to finish. You can use these steps to prepare any empanada recipe.
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Beef Empanadas
Beef is possibly the most popular empanada filling. Then there's also the popular beef picadillo filling. You can also substitute corned beef for ground beef.
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Chicken and Turkey Empanadas
Shredded or ground chicken and turkey make excellent empanada fillings, too.
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Chorizo and Pork Empanadas
Chorizo is a highly seasoned pork sausage popular in the Spanish-speaking islands. You can also use pulled pork or ground sausage.
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Fruit Empanadas
Empanadas can be filled with sweet fillings, such as fruit. Apples or bananas are a popular choice. Enjoy them as a dessert or snack.
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Vegetable Empanadas
If you don't eat meat, try a veggie empanada. You can stuff them with your favorite vegetables, beans, or rice fillings. Some people even use pumpkins.
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Fish and Seafood Empanadas
Seafood and fish are popular fillings for empanadas. It's not surprising since the Caribbean Sea offers an abundance of fish and shellfish.
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Cheese Empanadas
You can use your favorite shredded cheese and just have a cheese empanada or add other ingredients that go well with the cheese. If you're also a pizza lover you can make a pizza empanada.