Vanessa Barrington is the co-author of Heirloom Beans : Great Recipes for Dips and Spreads, Soups and Stews, Salads and Salsa, and much more from Rancho Gordo with Steve Sando and she has an upcoming book: DIY Delicious: Recipes and Ideas for Simple Food from
Scratch (Chronicle Books). Visit her blog vanessabarrington.com for great recipes and cooking tips. Vanessa is making empanadas for the book party on Thursday night, March 25th at Books, Inc in Berkeley. Start time 7 PM, bring your dancing shoes.
By Vanessa:
Empanadas have a culinary range throughout Latin America and Spain, and they are all so different. The doughs range from sturdy and thin to light and flaky. Some are fried and some are baked. Fillings can be beef, chicken, cheese, potatoes, mushrooms, or just about anything. Tiny ones are great for parties. Larger ones make a fabulous dinner with a salad.
They may seem complicated because the recipes have many steps, but are really quite easy to make. The dough is generally easy to work with the fillings can be as simple as you want. You can make your dough one day, refrigerate and then make the filling and assemble the next day. Empanadas are also great items to make ahead and freeze for quick dinners or unexpected cocktail gatherings. All you need to do is take them out about for about 10 minutes while you preheat the oven and then bake them.
I first learned to make empanadas when I was chef at the Jimtown Store in Healdsburg California. The dough is Carrie Brown’s recipe from The JImtown Store Cookbook. http://www.amazon.com/Jimtown-Store-Cookbook-Recipes-Favorite/dp/0060197021 I know she lived in Venezuela as a child but I don’t know if these are typical of Venezuelan empanadas. I do know they are the best I’ve had so I’ve been using and adapting this recipe for years. It’s the fat that makes them good. That and not overworking the dough. In fact, the first time I followed the recipe from the book, I had to call Carrie and see if the proportions were right because between the cream cheese and butter, the amount of fat seemed like a crazy amount. And it is. But that’s why they are good. The cornmeal also adds a nice touch, providing crunch and variation in texture. I have cut down the fat somewhat from the original recipe and the green dipping sauce is my invention. It works with many different types of fillings.
My favorite empanadas, besides those I make myself are El Porteno’s http://www.elportenosf.com/what_we_do.html
Here’s a link to a chicken version of the recipe below from my blog.
http://vanessabarrington.typepad.com/vanessa_barrington/2008/04/chicken-empanad.html
It’s the same as the one below, but with chicken filling.
Spinach Empanadas with Spicy Green Dipping Sauce
Recipe makes about 55 empanadas with extra salsa
For the Dough:
Start 2 to 3 hours ahead
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
In a food processor, combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt. Pulse to blend. Add the butter and cream cheese and process until the fat looks like small pebbles and the mixture comes together when pressed with your fingers. If the mixture remains crumbly, sprinkle a few drops of cold water on it and process for another few seconds. Don’t overprocess. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten slightly with your palms, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
For the Salsa:
1 pound tomatillos
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 jalapenos
1/2 of a small white onion, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 avocado
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and Freshly ground pepper to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil, husk the tomatillos and drop them into the water. Boil for 5 to 8 minutes, until they are soft. Drain and set aside.
In a medium dry skillet or comal, over medium heat, toast the whole unpeeled garlic cloves, whole jalapenos, and onion slices, turning occasionally, until browned, fragrant, and soft.
When the garlic is cool enough to handle, peel it. Remove the stems from the jalapenos and some, none, or all of the seeds, depending on how hot you want your salsa.
Transfer the drained tomatillos, peeled garlic, jalapenos, onion, and the flesh of the avocado to a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Stir in the cilantro and salt and pepper.
For the Filling:
Filling
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons yellow onion, cut into a tiny dice
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bunches spinach, washed
2 to 3 tablespoons freshly chopped herbs of your choice, such as dill, oregano, parsley, cilantro
Approximately 5 ounces ricotta cheese
Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
A touch of cayenne pepper if desired
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring until soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the spinach and a few pinches of salt and stir until it is wilted and cooked down. Add the herbs, stir, and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the spinach mixture to a colander set in the sink and drain for a few minutes, pushing down on it with the back of a wooden spoon to release excess moisture. Let cool and squeeze out any remaining moisture with your hands. Transfer the spinach mixture to a cutting board and chop coarsely. Transfer it to a bowl, add the cheese, and mix together until well blended, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
To assemble:
You’ll need one egg beaten with a little water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Gather the dough scraps and roll out one more time. Place a scant 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each round and brush the edges with beaten egg. Fold each one over to close, sealing the edges with the tines of a fork. Brush the tops with beaten egg and poke a couple of times with the fork to let the steam escape. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Serve immediately or at room temperature with the salsa above for dipping.