Either baked or fried, these Empanadas Salteñas are warm pockets of salt, sweetness, and spice. Empanadas are a hot and tasty pastry based snack that can be made with a variety of fillings. The word empanada literally means ‘wrapped in bread.’ They are hard to resist and are perfect for a quick lunch or appetizer.
This easy to make recipe is based on the classic beef empanadas that are served in the Salta region of north west Argentina.
Ingredients
150 grams of potato; peeled and finely chopped
250 grams of onion, peeled and chopped
1 small – medium red pepper, seeded and finely chopped
½ tablespoon of Paprika flakes
500g of ground beef or finely chopped chicken breast
Salt and pepper
1 ½ hard boiled egg, peeled and finely chopped
Egg yolk (for brushing the tops of the empanadas)
125 grams of spring onion or scallion
250 grams of pastry dough or pastry sheets
Olive oil
You can also add garlic to this list of ingredients depending on your personal preference, or chopped olives for a salty twist or raisins if you prefer a sweeter flavor.
Yield: 18 servings
Preparation time – approx 30 minutes
Directions for making Empanadas Salteñas
Making the Empanadas Salteñas filling
Put the potato into a small saucepan and cover with a cup of cold water. Bring to boil and cook until tender (ideally al dente) which will take about 6–8 minutes. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and place to one side.
Place a large sauté pan on medium heat and add oil.
When the oil has heated, add the onion, red pepper flakes, and paprika. Sauté the ingredients for around 8 – 10 minutes or until soft.
If you are including garlic, add it now and sauté for a further 30 seconds.
Add the beef (or chicken) to the saute pan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes, and then remove from heat.
Place the potatoes, hard boiled eggs, and scallion into the saute pan with the rest of the cooked ingredients. Mix together well. Mix in your olives or raisins at this stage.
Preheat your oven to 425˚F.
Making the empanadas
Line a baking sheet or tray with parchment paper and lightly brush it with oil until the surface is completely covered.
Prepared a floured surface and lay out the pastry sheets or roll out your pastry dough.
Carefully cut out as many rounds as possible from the pastry using a 4 inch cookie cutter. Wet one half of the edge of each round a little with water so that the empanada will seal well.
Carefully stuff each empanada round with 3 – 4 tablespoons of the meat mixture.
Fold the dough in half and crimp the edges of the dough with your fingers. Seal across the entire edge of the empanada using the back of a fork.
Place the sealed empanadas onto the baking tray. Lightly brush the top side of each empanada with beaten egg.
Bake the Empanadas Salteñas for 10 – 12 minutes or until light golden brown and fluffy. Leave to cool a little before serving.
Pairs well with
Empanadas can be made with chicken, cheese or chorizo though traditional Empanada Salteñas are made with beef.
They are can be served on their own or they pair well with a green salad, rice and beans or a tangy dip such as Salsa Verde or Chimichurri sauce.
If you enjoyed reading about this quick and easy snack, check out these easy to follow snack recipes.
