Empandas are tasty puff pastry pockets filled with seasoned soy meat crumbles or picadillo. There are different versions of empanadas in different countries of Latin America, my version given the ingredients (and time) available to me has come down to this!
You will need:
1. One recipe's worth of seasoned soy crumbles (picadillo), same as could be used for tacos or tostadas.
2. One package of puff pastry to make 12 empanadas and you will have some crumbles left for the next day for tacos. Or two packages of puff pastry and you can freeze some empanadas for another day's quick dinner. Or bake them all and give some to your neighbor!
Directions: Defrost puff pastry in the fridge over night.
Half an hour before you will start preparing, leave on counter.
Unfold pastry sheet carefully so you don't stretch it out.
If it is too sticky, it has thawed too much, just stick it in the freezer a few minutes to firm up.
Once sheet is flat, gently roll out with rolling pin just to flatten a bit.
Only extend it about 1/4".
With a pizza slicer, slice pastry dough along the two creases and then once across the middle to end up with 6 pieces.
Scoop about 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of soy crumbles in the center and fold, pressing around the edges.
It took me about 3 years of making these to figure out I could significantly cut on the prep time if I just leave them square. Duh! But if you want them to look a little prettier and more like a traditional empanada, use the pizza slicer to cut the edges and make it half moon shaped.
Place empanadas on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375F for about 25 min. or until puffed up and golden. Let rest for about 5 min. before digging in because they will be quite steamy inside.
Garnish with soy sour cream, shredded cabbage and REALLY spicy salsa, EAT!
Provecho!!!
