EMPANADAS - Argentine Style

[Stryke]

I've noticed several inquiries about empanadas (turnovers), so I am submitting a bullet-proof recipe that has been tested over time with consistently great results.

My traditional Argentine "criolla" empanadas derive from the classical recipe popular throughout the country, although there are many other variations. You can put almost whatever you want into an empanada, so feel free to experiment.

The recipe is in PDF format, and I'm offering up a few photos of the final result, baked in my homemade oven located in Las Vegas.

?Buen provecho!

[CanuckJim]

Looks good, sounds good

Stryke,

Nice work, and thanks for the recipe. Empanadas have been on my "to try" list for some time. Do you know of a traditional recipe for the dough? I'm always interested in trying new formulas.

Cheers,
Jim

[Stryke]

Empanada dough

Jim,

All my attempts to make empanada dough, despite the super-simple process and limited common ingredients, have always ended in dismal failure, which is why I resort to La Saltena store-bought discs. I know, that may be a cop-out, but I get consistently terrific empanadas as a result.

However, if you live in Barrow, Alaska, and don't have a Latino market over on the next berg, you may be forced to make your own discs. Here is a link that has a recipe that comes as close as I can find to authentic Argentine dough: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/rec...das22263.shtml

Give it a try and good luck. In fact, I may even try it myself to see if, at last, I can conquer this culinary deficiency.

Gaucho cheers,

Stryke

[arevalo53anos]

Hey, Guys!
There is a marvelous, wonderful, spectacular thread about empanadas (I wake up too modest today LOL) full of pictures, tip and tricks in this forum!
Go to Roasting and Grilling thread and take a look on Brick oven Empanadas!
There are there a lot of indications to make the empanadas dough and to obtain good results with it.
Sorry, Stryke, using commercial dough to do the empanadas, is the same thing that using a supermarket dough to bake pizzas. Seem empanada, look empanada, everything but taste!
Give a try to my recipe and, please, post a return.
By the way, I had loved your oven! Nice work

James,
Perhaps my firewall, today I was not capable to see the pictures in the above mentioned thread.
Are these there? Or where these are?

Luis

[Marcel]

Luis, did you also make one large "pie" Empanada?

(M) Hi, Luis (with the super curved brick chimney!)

In the 3rd picture, I see what looks like a "spring form". Are Empanadas sometimes made as a large "pie" instead of individual turn overs?

brigado,

Marcel

[Stryke]

Dueling Empanadas

Hola Luis!

OK, as I already confessed above, I am no expert at making empanada dough, although I am now inspired to try yet again to master this. However, I must ardently disagree with your comments about the quality of commercial dics available in Latino and specialty markets. La Saltena has very wide distribution and makes several varieties, and even though they are made by machines the texture and flavor is excellent. And in the end, it is the flavoring, juiciness, and succulence of the "carbonada" filling that makes the empanada. (Incidentally, all pizzas I make use homemade dough, never supermarket dough.)

Your empanada photos are excellent, but I have to say that the empanadas themselves appear to be a little dry. I coat mine with a very light brushing of beaten egg with a touch of water, which makes them turn a golden brown and helps seal in moisture.

What I suggest is to let forum readers decide for themselves which empanadas they would chose to try first, so I am submitting a few more photos to drool over.

By the way, your oven looks great, so at least we agree on the quality of each others' oven, but where do I find your recipe for empanada disc dough?

When you come to Las Vegas we will have an empanada competition, OK?

[arevalo53anos]

Oh, yeah, dueling empanadas!!! I am on! LOL
Stryke, I did not meant to attack you or your empanadas, just express myself like a latino been. (May be worst than this. I was born in Argentina and spend half of mi life there)
I had ate tons of ?la Saltena? filled dough. I like it too much.
However, IMHO, the taste of the lard (high quality one) used in a home made dough is the point that made differences.
There are lots of tips about empanadas and how you could or could not brush them. Mines were not brushed at all, just to maintain the original taste without change.
And yes, the forum readers will decide which empanada type they will try.
I own too much to the this forum people and everything that I put here is just my wish to say thanks
I had just pointed to the recipe in ?Empanadas in a wood oven? because there is there a step by step explanation.
However, I am seriously thinking to travel to Vegas LOL

Luis

[DrakeRemoray]

That is one contest I would be happy to judge...mmmm....empanadas...

Drake

[CanuckJim]

Empanada Dough

Luis,

My leaking brain completely forgot you had listed a dough recipe. Now I can get going on this. Thanks.

Jim

[james]

"those Empanadas appear a little dry" Ouch.

I think wars have been fought over less controversy. With continents to traverse, I think we need a way of resolving this -- senza l'aereo, forse. Photos seem so, well, dry (sorry for the pun). Video? Personal testimony? This makes the arguments over pizza napoletana seem very minor. Duelling empanadas.

I guess we should all make a few batches before we can weigh in.
James

[maver]

Take a poll

Since this empanada duel is personal (between Stryke and arevalo) and subjective, why not take a poll? Gentlemen, load your weapons: your three best photos of empanadas, suggest one include a cross section, one a plate of baked empanadas, and one glamour shot - maybe a model such as Redbricknick employs enjoying the delicacy. Once your shots have been fired, let the forum cast the votes, I would consider four days of voting enough time for anyone interested to weigh in.

Hey, it's arbitrary, but it's also pretty cold and I have more interest in typing than I do in working with brick right now. Post your pictures by high noon tomorrow?

[arevalo53anos]

Wow!

There is and there will be NOT duelling!
As a joke, this thread had spent sufficient time. More than this, will become a personal one!
All the information that I wrote here (in any thread) is there to serve to anybody that could like to use it. It is just a due return to the group for all the information that I had reading.
Do not worry, be happy! <g>

Luis

[maver]

de-escalation

Arevalo, you are a true diplomat. If the intention of you and Stryke was to support the forum in empanada cookery then you have done your job well. I hope to try making some this weekend. Thank you both for your pictures.

[Stryke]

Culinary Exchange

Contrary to recent reports, there is no duel between Luis and Stryke... just a civil "culinary exchange" in the quest for the best empanadas ever.

Luis, I can't locate the empanada dough recipe you refer to... can you provide a direct link? I'd love to try it soon so my empanadas can be be the talk of Vegas!

Gracias...

[ljanmi2]

Recipe link

Here it is: http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=689