I thought I hated empanadas up until a few years ago. Growing up, you could find a plethora of empanadas at pretty much every big Filipino gathering. I would hesitatingly put a couple on my plate, break them in half, and then secretly pick out every. single. raisin. I wasn't the only one. I know raisins and meat are a pretty traditional empanada filling, but it just isn't my thing.

I recently went to Cabo San Lucas, and upon return I knew I wanted to have a casual little dinner party .I absolutely love feeding people and sparking good conversation with delicious food. I wanted to step outside the box....er, tortilla...so I thought I'd try my hand at empanadas. RAISIN FREE EMPANADAS, The pastry shell is perfectly flaky and buttery, which goes well with both the spicy potato filling and the more subtle and sweet crab and corn filling. Dipped into plenty of Mexican Crema, they were perfect. Nobody could stop at just one. These make a perfect appetizer or even main as long as you have plenty of other small eats, as they are pretty filling. I can't wait to try my hand at sweet empanadas sometime.

1

Prepare your empanada dough:

Cut butter into small 1/4 inch cubes and chill in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before preparing dough. Sift flour with salt intoa bowl and cut in butter using a pastry cutter or your hands until mixture is coarse. Some larger lumps of butter are ok. Whisk together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl Add to flour mixture, stirring with until it just comes together and you have a shaggy mixture. Lightly flour your surface and knead dough until it forms a ball (just a couple of times). Flatten dough into a large rectangle, and cover very well with plastic wrap (you don't want your dough to develop a hard "skin" around the edges!) Refrigerate for at least an hour. You may keep this chilled overnight but I wouldn't go any longer than that.

2

Prepare filling(s)

POTATO:

Cut potatoes into very small cubes, and boil them until tender, about 20 minutes.

Dice bell peppers, onions and garlic. Saute onions and bell peppers for about 5 minutes, then add garlic and soyrizo/chorizo (I used soyrizo from trader joes). When potatoes are done add those to the chorizo mixture and saute until mixture is evenly incorporated. Allow to cool completely before filling empanadas

CRAB:

Drizzle corn with 1 tsp. olive oil and roast in the oven until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. When cool, slice kernels off. Mix corn in with 16 ounces lump crab meat, minced garlic, diced onions, diced bell peppers, and green onion.

3

On a lightly floured surface, and with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/8th inch thick. Using a 3 inch cookie cutter, cut round circles into your dough.

4

Spoon a heaping tablespoon into the center of each of your empanada dough disks.

5

Fold dough disc in half, press together edges, and crimp with a fork to seal.

6

Whisk together one egg white with 1 teaspoon of water, and brush over empanadas right before they go into the oven

7

Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Alternating between the top rack and the lower rack of the oven for 10 minutes each.

Empanadas

dough recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen, makes approximately 18-20 empanadas

DOUGH:

4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I swapped 1/2 cup with whole wheat flour)

3 teaspoons salt

2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 large eggs

2/3 cup ice water

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

POTATO & SOYRIZO FILLING:

1 package soyrizo (I bought mine from trader joes)

1 pound potatoes, diced into small cubes

1 medium white onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 baby bell peppers, diced

salt and pepper, to taste

ROASTED SWEET CORN & CRAB FILLING :

8 ounces crab meat

1/2 white onion, minced

1 ear of sweet white corn

3 baby bell peppers, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch green onion, finely minced

Olive oil, for drizzling

salt and pepper, to taste

Optional: sour cream or Mexican crema, for dipping

1. Prepare your empanada dough: cut butter into small 1/4 inch cubes and chill in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before preparing dough. Sift flour with salt intoa bowl and cut in butter using a pastry cutter or your hands until mixture is coarse. Some larger lumps of butter are ok. Whisk together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl Add to flour mixture, stirring with until it just comes together and you have a shaggy mixture. Lightly flour your surface and knead dough until it forms a ball (just a couple of times). Flatten dough into a large rectangle, and cover very well with plastic wrap (you don't want your dough to develop a hard "skin" around the edges!) Refrigerate for at least an hour. You may keep this chilled overnight but I wouldn't go any longer than that.

2. Prepare filling(s)

POTATO:

Cut potatoes into very small cubes, and boil them until tender, about 20 minutes.

Dice bell peppers, onions and garlic. Saute onions and bell peppers for about 5 minutes, then add garlic and soyrizo/chorizo (I used soyrizo from trader joes). When potatoes are done add those to the chorizo mixture and saute until mixture is evenly incorporated. Allow to cool completely before filling empanadas

CRAB:

Drizzle corn with 1 tsp. olive oil and roast in the oven until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. When cool, slice kernels off. Mix corn in with 16 ounces lump crab meat, minced garlic, diced onions, diced bell peppers, and green onion.

3. On a lightly floured surface, and with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/8th inch thick. Using a 3 inch cookie cutter, cut round circles into your dough.

4. Spoon a heaping tablespoon into the center of each of your empanada dough disks.

5. Fold dough disc in half, press together edges, and crimp with a fork to seal.

6. Whisk together one egg white with 1 teaspoon of water, and brush over empanadas right before they go into the oven

7. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Alternating between the top rack and the lower rack of the oven for 10 minutes each.