Empanadas Puertorriquenas with a twist

Being raised with Puerto Rican food and then raised in a predominately Latin American populated area, where you see and eat different ways of cooking one food, such as the Empanada. You have the empanada Colombiana, Puertorriqeuna, Jamaican, etc. As you get older, your body changes and there your food choices change too. Empanada recipes usually use pre-made discs of dough called Goya Discos. Here, I have made the dough from scratch.

This is my twist on the Puertorican empanada. Gluten Free dough and plant-based meat. I still used a popular ingrediant used in Puertorican foods, Sofrito. And boy, even though it was plant based meat, it still brought me back to my grandmother and mother making empanadas for me as a child.

Additionally, I did a trial and error on what is the best form of cooking since it is gluten-free and hand made dough. I shallow fried with coconut oil, vegetable oil, and baked. Using the coconut oil does not give you a lot of color. If I left them in the oil for longer, I believe I would have gotten a slight more browner color. Secondly, using the vegetable color, does give you that browner color and taste closest to an original empanada. Lastly, baking gives it a more cleaner taste. Overall, either way you choose, they tasted all amazing!

Note: Empanada shallow fried in coconut oil was not pictured as it was so good, I ate it. Opps! But, Yum!

DISCALIMER: Empanada Dough Recipe does not belong to me. The recipe belongs to GF Jules. There you can purchase her flours, as well. It is the BEST!

Above: Dough Ingredients

Below: Filling Ingredients

You will need:

Empanada Dough:

• 2 ¼ cups gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

• 1 1/4 tsp. salt

• 8 Tbs. plant butter

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup + 1 Tbs. ice water

• 1 Tbs. white vinegar

  Filling:

• 1/2 lbs Plant-Based Meat ( Beyond, Abbott’s Butcher, Gardein, etc)

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil

• 2 Tbsp Sofrito with tomato sauce

• 1/4 Tsp Paprika

• 1 Tsp Minced garlic

• 1 Tbsp onion powder (Or sprinkle because some meats may already be seasoned)

• 6 olives diced

• Sweet Potatoes, diced

• 1/8 Tsp Black pepper

• 1/2 Tsp Dried oregano

• Your choice of oil or you can bake them, too.

• 1 egg for sealing

  Extra: You can add use or add your choice of cheese as well

Directions:

Dough:

• Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Flour and salt.

• Cut in butter. I used my hands but if using a mixer, use a stand mixer. It should look like pebbles, not fully incorporated or melted.

• Mix the egg in a separate bowl and whisk together with water and white vinegar.

• Slowly stir into the flour mixture with a fork, mixing only until a dough has been formed. The dough should hold together easily and not be dry or crumbly; if necessary, add more cold water until the dough holds

  together.

• Cover the dough and set in the refrigerator while preparing fillings.

  Filling:

• Heat pan with oil. Stir in meat and cook just till sizzling and half browned.

• Stir in the filling ingredient, except egg.

• Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until mixture thickens.

• With dough, spoon about 1 tbsp of the mixture into the middle. If you would like, add cheese.

• Fold-over and moisten edges with the egg and seal with a fork.

• If frying: Heat 2 1/2 inches of oil in a deep sauce pan on medium heat. Cook empanadas in batches, turning till lightly browned on both sides.

  If baking: Spray baking sheet and pre heat oven at 375 F . Bake for 20-30 minutes.

• Drain on paper towels and Let cool.

• Enjoy!

Right Side: Shallow Fried in vegetable oil. Left Side: Baked