EmpanadasEmpanadas seem to have been the theme of last weeks cocina. Often, when I'm running from one place to another, the easiest (and tastiest) solution is to grab an empanada from any small panadería in town. Until now, I never had considered just how easy they are to concoct.
The diversity of empanadas in Chile is pretty slim. Typically you won't find much more than ham y queso or empanadas de pino (a oniony-beefy mix that always, without fail, contains exactly half an egg and one olive (with pit)). For the empanadas pictured, the filling was pretty basic: a mix of vegetables, caramelized onion, and pollo. Sadly, though I bought the exact amount needed, I forgot to throw the individual olives into the mix. Later attempts at empanada mastery included a roquefort, spinach, and choclo version, and later, some desert empanadas (banana, frutilla, apple, with sauces of either manjar or chocolate).
The masa is extremely simple. Water, flour, and a bit of shortening. We also brushed a bit of egg-whites onto the finished products to help brown the top. I think I've found a new staple to my South American diet.
quite a chef, Evan. Can you try these with whole grain flour? And perhaps use a healthy oil instead of shortening (transfats). :-)
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