An empanada consists of two major parts – the crust and the filling. While these are commonly seen everywhere, these are by no means that easy to make. The creation of this particular pastry comes with its own set of challenges, and these tips and tricks for making empanadas may just help you overcome these.
Dough Tips
To avoid dough that is crumbly and difficult to work with, try to stick with shortening/butter to flour ratio of 1/2 cup shortening/butter to 3 cups flour.
Always make your dough from scratch and fresh every time you want to make empanadas. Frozen and pre-processed doughs may be quick to use but not as good as fresh or home-made dough for empanadas.
When making dough for your pocket pies, skip using baking powder or baking soda. Your empanada may have the rise that you want but it will be hollow and too airy if you do so.
Some people use oil in creating their empanada dough, but this is not a good idea. This will not give you the kind of texture that usually comes with this pastry.
It is a good idea to use shortening if you are thinking of frying your empanadas and butter if these are to be baked.
You should always refrigerate your baked empanada dough for a couple of hours before rolling these out. This will ensure that your dough holds together better when baked. Also, in your baked empanada dough, it is a good idea to use cold water as a binder and not lukewarm water.
Filling Tips
When you are making your empanada filling, keep in mind that moisture should be kept at a minimum. To ensure that your filling won’t be too watery, place this in a strainer as it cools, which should be for about an hour.
Always cool your filling before assembling your empanada. The steam from a hot or warm filling may cause your pastry to become soggy and it may cause this to fall apart.
Never skimp on quality when it comes to your fillings. Since you will only be using a small amount of this in every dough pocket (approximately 2 tablespoons per pouch), it is important that the flavor and quality of the filling is the best you can find and produce.
Don’t use fillings that are too chunky. Small pieces are better when it comes to empanadas, so ground meat, minced vegetables, and the like, are ideal when making fillings for your empanadas.
Assembly Tips
It might be a good idea to chill your filling before using these in your empanadas. Not only will these be easier to handle but it will also be the right temperature once the empanada dough is cooked.
Never overfill your empanadas. If you are unsure of the amount of filling that your circles of dough can handle, experiment with a couple and see what the right amount is before producing en masse.
To ensure that your empanadas hold their shape well while baking or frying, refrigerate the assembled pouches for at least half an hour before cooking. This will help the dough hold together better.
