Meowie's Foodies Foodgasms And Addictions

Meowie’s note: via wikipedia

Filipino empanadas usually contain ground beef or chicken meat, potato, chopped onion, and raisins (somewhat similar to the Cuban “picadillo”) in a sweetish wheat flour dough. Some Filipinos are not partial to the sweetish flavour notes and prefer empanadas that are closer to the Hispanic versions. There are doughy baked versions, as well as flaky fried versions. Often, to lower costs, potatoes are added as a filler. However, empanadas in the northern Ilocos region are very different. These empanadas are made of a savory filling of green papaya, mung beans and, upon request, chopped Ilocano sausage (Chorizo) and/or an egg yolk. Rather than the soft, sweet dough favored in the Tagalog region, the dough used to enclose the filling is thin and crisp, mostly because Ilocano empanada uses rice flour, coloured orange with achuete (annatto), and is deep-fried rather than baked.

This is my dad’s version which he learned from his mom, my grandma who is very particular with her dough. Me and my sisters wanted to take hold of that recipe over the years and we seemed to have forgotten of how my dad would make it by scratch.  But anyway, I did my best to make his version minus the dough part.  I made it the easy way (I hope he doesn’t mind at all..hrhrhrhrhr)  by buying a frozen pack of corn or flour empanadas, thawing it for 10-15 minutes before using them. This is in memory of my loving dad, Gallardo, dad this is for you!

Conveniently serves 10-20 empanadas

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground beef

1/2 lb of pork

1 cup of diced potatoes

1/2 cup of diced tomatoes

1/2 cup of onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup of celery, chopped

1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped

1/2  cup of diced yellow bellpeppers

1/2 cup of dried raisins

4 tbsps of pickle relish

4 large hardboiled eggs

1-2 packages of flour or corn empanada dough (10 pcs each package)

1 tbsp shortening/lard or butter

3 tbsps soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

canola oil for frying

or you can bake it at 375 degrees (optional)

Procedures:

1) Saute beef  in shortening/lard or butter until lightly browned, season with salt and pepper. Once done, pour excess fat and drain beef and pork on a paper towel to get rid of the fat. While that’s draining, on the same pan saute` potatoes until brown, then add the onion, tomatoes, yellow bellpepper, garlic, celery and carrots. Cook until all vegies are tender, stir it often before blending in the flour, salt and black pepper, raisins, pickle relish and soy sauce.

Cook until it gets thick, stir it constantly and let it cool.

2) Prepare the thawed corn or flour empanadas for easy assemble, I have the recipe for the homemade dough but this is for fast and easy cooking. Place 1 tbsp meat mixture  add a piece of hardboiled eggs onto rounds and carefully  fold, forming fried pies. I hand rolled them myself but don’t worry me and my husband will create a video on how to fold empanadas soon! Watch out for it! =D

3) You have an option to fry over canola oil or place it on ungreased baking pan. Add water to egg yolk, beat slightly. Brush tops of pastries lightly with egg mixture. Bake in hot oven (425 F) until browned, 10-15 minutes. In my case, I pan fried it until all sides are golden brown, it cooks really fast so don’t leave the pan cooking or your empanadas will get burnt.

4) Once cooked, place the empanadas on a paper towel to drain excess oil.  You’ll be amazed how it tastes even better the next day! You can keep it in a freezer and microwave or re bake it the next day or whenever you have the urge to eat it (me, I eat it until its gone! lol) My husband likes to eat as is like it was left out on a normal room temperature and so do I, whatever floats your boat go ahead and do it.

Approximately makes 10-20 empanadas. Hope you like it as much as I do! I can eat this empanadas everyday, its one of my ultimate faves!

Bon Apetit!

xx