Empanada Gallega ~ September 2012 Daring Bakers’ Challenge

Patri of the blog, Asi SonLos Cosas, was our September 2012 Daring Bakers’ hostess and she decided to tempt us with one of her family’s favorite recipes for Empanadas! We were given two dough recipes to choose from and encouraged to fill our Empanadas as creatively as we wished!

Empanada (or empada, in Portuguese) is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries in Western Europe, Latin America, and parts of Southeast Asia. The name comes from the Galician, Portuguese and Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.The filling for empanada can vary, meat, chicken, cheese, fruit and vegetables. It is really up to your taste and preference and there is plenty of room for creativity. It can be served warm or cold. I chose to make individual sized empanadas instead of one big one and I used ground meat filling with some slight differences.

Empanada Gallega 

Servings: 10 – (makes a 40cmx30cm square empanada or about a 35cm diameter round empanada).
Dough Ingredients:

5-1/3 cups (1280 ml) (750 gm) bread flour
2 cups (480 ml) of lukewarm water (about 85°F/30ºC), approximately
1 satchel (1 tablespoon) (15 gm) dry yeast or (1 oz) (30 gm) fresh yeast
2 teaspoons (10 ml) (11 gm) salt
4 tablespoons (60 ml) oil (you can use oil from the pan where you have cooked the filling)
1 large egg, for egg wash

Dough Directions:

• Measure out all the ingredients.
• Shift the flour into a big bowl and make a well in the middle. Rub the yeast in with your fingers.
• In a small bowl, mix the water and the salt.
• Now, using your fingers or a wooden spoon, start adding the water and mixing it with the flour-yeast mixture. Keep on working with your fingers or spoon until you have added enough water and all the flour has been incorporated and you have a messy ball of dough.
• On a clean counter top, knead the dough for approximately 10 minutes
• You could do all the above using a stand mixer, in that case mix the ingredients with the paddle attachment until mixed and then switch to a dough hook and knead on low for about 6 minutes.
• Clean and oil the big bowl you used for mixing and place the kneaded dough in it. Cover it with a napkin or piece of linen and keep it in a warm, draught-free place for approximately 40 to 50 minutes.
• Once risen, turn the dough back into a floured counter and cut it in half. Cover one half with the napkin to prevent drying.
• Start preheating your oven to moderate 350°F/180ºC/gas mark 4.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough; use a lid or round cutter cut out the dough.
• Place couple of teaspoons of filling into the center of each circle.
• Fold the dough over and press the edges firmly to seal.
• Place the empanadas on a cookie sheet.
• In a small bowl, beat an egg and add a tbsp of cold water.
• With the pastry brush, paint the top of the empanada with the egg wash. 
• Place the empanada in the oven and bake for about 30 to45 minutes or until golden brown.

Ground Meat Filling:

Ingredients:

400 gm (14 oz) chopped onion (approximately 1 big onion or 2 medium-sized ones)
200 gm (7 oz) tomatoes (peeled and seeded)
1 small green pepper

1 celery stick
2 garlic cloves

1” piece ginger
¾ cup (180 ml) olive oil
300 grams (2/3 pound or 10.5 ounces) minced (ground) meat
1 teaspoon red chilly powder

¾ tsp black pepper powder

1 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a skillet.
• Fry the finely chopped onions, garlic, ginger, when slightly browned add green pepper and celery and stir fry until the vegetables are soft. Add the chopped tomatoes, and cook until done.
• Add the meat and cook until meat is cooked and all the water dries up.
• Add chilly powder, pepper powder garam masala and sirt fry for 5 more minutes.
• Finally add coriander leaves, mix well and turn off the heat. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.
• Fill the empanada and bake as indicated.

Empanadas are Yeastspotted