Venezuelan empanadas are cakes similar to a half moon, made in corn flour dough and with various fillings. They are very close relatives of the Tequeños and the delicious arepas. They are a very popular breakfast in coastal areas in Venezuela.
Stews of ground meat, shredded meat, tuna or chicken are generally used for filling. Black beans (beans) and grated hard cheese are also used to fill them. This delicious and popular Venezuelan dish can be eaten at all hours for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
It is common to accompany the empanadas with some sauce to spread, garlic sauce, tartar, guasacaca or some spicy dressing for the bravest. With or without sauce, the last bite is the best, the end of the empanada where the crispy tip is left is a part that no one gives up and that every diner enjoys with great happiness.
Making empanadas is not very difficult and we hope you enjoy this delicious dish as much as we do.
Ingredients:
-For the mass:
• 1 and ½ cups (215 gr approx.) Of precooked cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose wheat flour
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 1 and ½ cups of cold water
-For the filling
• Stew of ground meat, shredded, chicken or tuna.
Preparation.
1 Place the precooked cornmeal, wheat flour and salt in a bowl.
2 Add water and mix until the flour is hydrated. Knead until you get a soft and pliable dough. In case the dough is too dry, add more water. Otherwise, it is very liquid, you should add more corn flour.
3 Let the dough rest for 8 to 12 minutes
4 Take a small portion of the dough, roll it into a ball and place it on a piece of plastic. Roll out the dough in a thin circle with your hand. In this part you can help yourself with a plate to crush the dough.
5 Place a tablespoon of filling in the middle of the circle and fold the dough into a half moon with the help of the plastic.
6 For greater ease, you can use a round container that is circular in shape and cut the pie so that it is better prepared
7 To fry the patty you need plenty of oil in a frying pan. You should cook them until they are golden brown. Remember that the stew that we use for filling is already cooked. All you need to do is cook the dough.
8 After removing from the pan we must place the patties on absorbent paper, this will help remove the excess oil on the outside.
Additional Tips.
If you want you can add a pinch of sugar to the dough.