Craving for empanada, try this Deep Fried or Baked Filipino Empanada recipe! Philippine empanada are made with pork, beef or chicken, carrots, potatoes, green peas, green or red pepper or both and raisins.
Raisin gives this Filipino Empanada a subtle sweetness. I prefer to combine pork and beef as it is more flavorful. But If you prefer to use either one, pork or beef, you may do so.
What is Empanada?
Empanada is a pastry with filling that is fried or baked. Filling is placed on a piece of dough, folded into a half-moon and edges are sealed.
Fried empanada is scrumptious but for a healthier version baked empanada is delicious as well which I am showing both in my video.
Some people are intimidated in making the empanada dough. In fact, it is easy once you get the technique of folding and sealing the edges of the dough.
In my late 20’s, I had the inkling of making empanada. I was not skilled in working with smaller dough so the size of my empanada was 6x the size of what I am making now.
It was a huge empanada that can feed 2 people. Practice makes perfect, not as perfect as I want it to be but good enough.
If this is your first time to make it, it is easier to work with a bigger dough with less filling. Then just keep practicing and you’ll eventually get it.
People who are well versed in making empanada don’t necessarily use a cookie cutter or anything round to form the dough.
Dough is rolled into a log then divided. It is flatten with both hands then with a rolling pin, stretching the dough from side to side to get the round shape.
If you find this hard to do, once dough is flattened, use a cookie cutter or a bowl with a 4 inch diameter and cut the excess dough.
You can keep the dough on the work surface or on your hand. Place filling on one side leaving about ¼ inch of edge free of filling. Fold over the other side of dough forming into a half-moon.
How to Seal the Empanada Edges
Press dough edges with your fingers to glue it together. Some prefer to wipe the inside edges with egg white before gluing it together.
To completely seal the edges, you can do it in 2 ways. Use a fork to crimp the edges or use your fingers to curl and overlap each curl.
I don’t think I took a picture but I showed it in my video. I find it easier to use a fork while my mom is very experienced in curling and overlapping the edges.
It’s been quite a while since I made empanada and I cannot find my recipe I got from a close family friend. I checked my mom’s recipes but she has many versions, so I opted to use my cousin’s recipe.
She makes it all the time and there’s a big chance we’re both using the same version. It bugs me when I cannot find something. When I moved, things were just everywhere. Oh well!
UPDATE: My cousin has mentioned, it is better to grate the butter instead of cubed.
Ingredients in Making Filipino Empanada
Onion
Garlic
Pork & Beef
Carrots, cut into small cubes
Potatoes, cut into small cubes
Green Peas
Raisins
Green or Red Pepper or both, cut into small cubes
Salt & Pepper
Egg
If you prefer a different filling, feel free to use it.
Fried or Baked Filipino Empanada Recipe and Video
Would you like to try another delicious appetizer? Click this link for Steak Mini Quiche Recipe with Mushroom.
Deep Fried or Baked Filipino Empanada Recipe
Ingredients
Empanada Filling
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ pound ground pork
- ½ pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 medium carrot cut into small cubes
- 2 medium potatoes cut into small cubes
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 small red bell pepper cut into small cubes
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 egg beaten
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Empanada Dough
- 3 cups flour sifted
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 cup butter or 2 sticks butter cold and cut into cubes or grated
Egg wash
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
Filling
- In a pan, heat oil over medium heat.
- Saute onion. Cook until translucent.
- Add garlic and cook until golden.
- Add ground pork and beef. Cook until pale.
- Add soy sauce.
- Toss-in carrots, potatoes and raisins. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir-in red bell pepper and green peas. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Dough
- In a mixing bowl, combine sifted flour, salt and sugar. Blend in low speed using a paddle attachment.
- Gradually add butter. Blend well.
- Slowly pour water then beaten eggs. Adjust mixer speed to medium.
- Change from paddle to dough attachment.
- Once it forms into a ball, stop mixing. Transfer mixture in a lightly floured bowl, cover with saran wrap and place in the fridge for an hour.
- Lightly dust your hands, rolling pin and work surface with flour and knead dough for 3 minutes.
- Roll it into a log and divide dough into 3 even pieces. Then divide each piece to 7 small dough. If using a cookie cutter, there will be an excess dough. Combine all the excess dough and divide it. Mine came out to 25 pieces.
- Take a piece of dough, it is easier to initially flatten it with your hands into a round shape then use a rolling pin. If you have a hard time getting it into a round shape, use a cookie cutter with a 4 inch diameter then remove the excess dough.
- Place dough in your hand, add 2 tablespoons of filling on one side of dough leaving ¼ inch edge free of filling.
- Fold over the other side of dough, pressing the edges with your fingers to glue them together. It should look like a half-moon, then use a fork to crimp the edges. Another way to do it, start on one side and curl the edges until you reach the other side. Curls should be overlapping each other.
- Use a toothpick and poke 3 holes on top of empanada so steam can escape.
- When all empanadas are done, brush with egg wash.
- Deep fry until golden. Don’t overcrowd when frying. Place in a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil then transfer to a wire rack to cool down.
- If baking – preheat oven at 375 degrees F and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Frying renders a flaky crust compared to baking. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have a cookie cutter, use a round bowl.
- My cousin has mentioned that it is better to grate the butter instead of cubed.
Nutrition
Peachy Miranda
I make the Dough recipe today and its perfect! !!!!
Fortune
Glad it came out perfect. My cousin mentioned to me that dough is even better if butter is grated. Thank you.