“Empanadas” may be served as a yummy snack or appetizer, but they can also be presented as a perfect entrée. They are not typical of a particular country in Latin America. Everywhere you go, you will find a variety of them, with different names, sizes, and of course different flavors.

What is an “empanada”? It is a pastry shell turnover that you make by folding dough over a filling. The filling varies from region to another, it may include rice, potatoes, vegetables, cheese,or you can even make them sweet. The recipe presented here is a vegetarian version of Colombian empanadas from the region Santander (northeast of the country).   

Dough: 

• 1-1/2 lbs. wheat flour
• 100 grams of butter
• Salt and ground cumin to taste
• ½ tsp. achiote mix

Salt to taste 2 c. water and add cumin and achiote mix.  Pour the water in a large bowl and add melted butter, stirring constantly.  Slowly add the wheat flour.  Knead with hands until dough is smooth. 

Filling:

•  ¼ c. dry vegetarian meat crumbles
• 400 grams of rice
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
• 1/3 c. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 c. chopped green onions
• Salt and cumin to taste
• 1 spoon of butter

 In medium saucepan put water  (2 to 1 ratio—2 parts water to 1 part rice), salt and oil.  Bring to boil over high heat.  Add rice and stir once (optional: add achiote mix and cumin). Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 min.  Turn off heat and keep covered.  In a separate pan cook vegetarian meat crumbles with a bunch of green onions, 1 spoon of butter, and salt to taste (use 2 c. water for each cup of vegetarian meat crumbles).  Mix rice with the vegetarian meat crumbles, add the chopped green onions and fresh parsley. Add hard-boiled eggs. 

Pique sauce:

• ¼ c. chopped green onions
• ¼ c. chopped cilantro
• ½ c. water
• 1 small ripe avocado
• 1 red hot chili peppers, finely minced
• Salt to taste
• Blend the avocado in ½ c. water, add green onions, cilantro and chili peppers. 

Making the empanadas:

Flatten a ball of dough with a flat object such as a plate.  Place a tablespoon of filling on one hemisphere of the flattened dough.  Fold the other half over and pinch together so there is NO opening showing any filling.  Press edges together and seal with a fork.  The trick is to get as much mixture inside of minimum dough, which takes practice.  Otherwise they will have more dough than filling.  Place carefully in hot oil and fry until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with lime quarters or Pique Sauce.

Makes 30 empanadas.