Wednesday 30 September 2009

Mini Empanadas

Empanadas are a staple in South America. Distant cousins of the Cornish pasty they’re quite stodgy and come in with an array of fillings, commonly including beef, vegetables, cheese and always a bit of spice. These are miniature versions made with filo pastry which are much lighter and great with drinks or as part of a tapas type meal.

Prawn Empanadas

1 small onion
1 green chilli
2 cloves garlic
400g raw king prawns
few drops green tabasco
salt, pepper, paprika
½ tsp tomato puree
Juice of ½ a lime
handful fresh coriander
2 packs filo pastry

Makes about 36

Very finely chop the onion, garlic and chilli. Heat some sunflower oil in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sweat for two minutes, add the garlic and chilli and continue to cook until softened but not coloured.

Either finely chop the raw prawns by hand or whiz in a food processor until almost minced. Add to the onion mixture and cook over a low heat until completely opaque. Season with tabasco, salt and pepper and perhaps a little paprika to taste. Stir in roughly chopped coriander, tomato puree and lime juice. Allow to cool completely and then discard liquid. (Assembly instrutions below)




Spicy Beef Empanadas

1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 red pepper
400g minced beef
1 beef stock cube
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp tomato puree
salt, pepper, smoked paprika
fresh coriander
100g grated cheddar/emmenthal

2 packs of filo pastry

Makes about 36

Very finely chop the onion, garlic and pepper. Heat some sunflower oil in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sweat for two minutes, then add the garlic and red pepper and continue to cook until softened but not coloured.

Add the minced beef and stir continually, breaking it up completely. Crumble in the stock cube and add the chilli powder, tomato puree, salt, pepper and paprika. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes over a low heat. Check for seasoning and let the mixture cool completely. Stir in the cheese.

Vegetable Empanadas

1 red onion
1 red chilli

2 cloves garlic

2 red peppers

300g sweet potato
200g courgette

1 veg stock cube

salt, pepper,

smoked paprika

fresh coriander and parsley

100g grated cheddar/emmenthal

2 packs of filo pastryMakes about 36Very finely chop the onion, garlic, chilli, pepper and courgette. Cut the sweet potato into 1/2cm dice. Heat some sunflower oil in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sweat for two minutes, then add all of the remaining vegetables and cook for another two minutes. Crumble in the stock cube and add the chilli powder, tomato puree, salt, pepper and paprika. Add about 200ml of water, bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes over a low heat until the sweet potato is tender. Check for seasoning and let the mixture cool completely. Stir in the cheese.

Putting them together

To make the empanadas take two sheets of filo pastry. Lay on top of one another brush with oil. Cut into four horizontal strips. Place a small teaspoon of the prawn or beef mixture at on end of each strip and fold at right angles into a triangle, keep folding over until you reach the end of the pastry strip. Brush with oil.

Repeat until you have used all the filling. Either cook immediately for 9 minutes at 200°C or freeze and cook from frozen at the same temperature for about 14 minutes until golden.

1 comment:

  1. yum, can you put up a veggie receipe?

    ReplyDelete