Here are two recipes; one for traditional Venezuelan empanadas, and the second for empanadas without cornmeal flour.
1) Venezuelan Empanada dough.
Ingredients:
470 gms (2 cups) harina PAN ( Venezuelan cornmeal flour)
55 gms ( 1/4 cup) all purpose flour
600 mls (2 1/2 cups) water
1 tsp salt
2 tsps sugar
2 tsps oil
Method:
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. the dough will appear a little wet, but leave it for 5-10 minutes for the cornmeal to absorb the water. Mix together with your hands until you have a fairly thick dough.
Mould a piece of dough with your hands, about the size of a tennis ball. Use all the dough like this.
Take a plastic sandwich bag (maybe a bit bigger) and cut down the sides, leaving the bottom seam intact, until you have a rectangular piece of plastic. Lightly oil the plastic, then place a ball of dough on one half of the bag. Fold the other half of the bag over the top, and press down with your hands to form a rough circle. Keep pressing with your fingers until the circle is complete.
Place two or three tablespoons of your favourite filling (ideas below) on one half of the dough, then fold the circle into a half-circle. Using the plastic bag, seal the empanada with your fingers.
Deep fry in hot fat until just browned, about 4-5 minutes.
2) Empanada dough with plain flour
Ingredients:
250 gms (1 cup) all purpose flour
120 mls (1/2 cup) water
1/2 tsp salt
100 gms (1/2 cup) lard or vegetable fat
Method:
Combine the flour, salt and lard together and rub with your fingertips until the fat is fully incorporated. Now add the water and mix together until you have a smooth dough.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough into equal portions and roll out to about 1/16th inch thick, about 1/5th centimetre. Using a saucer as a guide, cut the pastry into rounds.
Place 2 tbsps (or a bit more ) of your favourite filling in the middle of the circle, fold over into a half moon and seal the edges with a fork. Deep fry until browned.
Typical fillings for Venezuelan empanadas:
1) Venezuelan Empanada dough.
Ingredients:
470 gms (2 cups) harina PAN ( Venezuelan cornmeal flour)
55 gms ( 1/4 cup) all purpose flour
600 mls (2 1/2 cups) water
1 tsp salt
2 tsps sugar
2 tsps oil
Method:
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. the dough will appear a little wet, but leave it for 5-10 minutes for the cornmeal to absorb the water. Mix together with your hands until you have a fairly thick dough.
Mould a piece of dough with your hands, about the size of a tennis ball. Use all the dough like this.
Take a plastic sandwich bag (maybe a bit bigger) and cut down the sides, leaving the bottom seam intact, until you have a rectangular piece of plastic. Lightly oil the plastic, then place a ball of dough on one half of the bag. Fold the other half of the bag over the top, and press down with your hands to form a rough circle. Keep pressing with your fingers until the circle is complete.
Place two or three tablespoons of your favourite filling (ideas below) on one half of the dough, then fold the circle into a half-circle. Using the plastic bag, seal the empanada with your fingers.
Deep fry in hot fat until just browned, about 4-5 minutes.
2) Empanada dough with plain flour
Ingredients:
250 gms (1 cup) all purpose flour
120 mls (1/2 cup) water
1/2 tsp salt
100 gms (1/2 cup) lard or vegetable fat
Method:
Combine the flour, salt and lard together and rub with your fingertips until the fat is fully incorporated. Now add the water and mix together until you have a smooth dough.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough into equal portions and roll out to about 1/16th inch thick, about 1/5th centimetre. Using a saucer as a guide, cut the pastry into rounds.
Place 2 tbsps (or a bit more ) of your favourite filling in the middle of the circle, fold over into a half moon and seal the edges with a fork. Deep fry until browned.
Typical fillings for Venezuelan empanadas:
- Minced beef cooked with onion,garlic, peppers, splash of Worcestershire sauce and a tsp of tomato paste
- diced chicken - onion, garlic, sweet peppers, a bit of stock
- Grated white cheese and black beans (Domino)
- Grated white cheese
- Dogfish (baby shark) with scallions, sweet chiles (or very mild chiles), coriander leaf and lime juice
- Grated white cheese and ham
Last edited: