|   Posted: February 28, 2020

Sweet or savory baked (sometimes fried) stuffed pastries are beloved throughout Latin America. Most countries there have a signature style of beef empanada [em-puh-NAA-duh] and a chicken version. Fruit or custard-filled empanadas are a special treat. This recipe makes three cheese-filled empanadas that are more sweet than savory.

Yield: 3 servings
Prep time: 1 hour 
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour 
  • 1 tbsp. sugar 
  • 1 tsp. baking powder 
  • ¾ tsp. salt 
  • ¼ cup shortening 
  • ¼ cup very cold water 
  • ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 
  • ½ cup sugar 
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon 
  • 1 egg 
  • ¾ cup raisins 
  • ¼ tsp. lemon juice or grated lemon peel 
  • sugar for sprinkling

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350˚F. 
  2. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. 
  3. Use fingers, a fork or pastry cutter to quickly mix shortening into flour mixture until it is crumbly. 
  4. Add cold water and quickly squeeze mixture together into a dough ball. Handle sparingly so that shortening doesn't melt. 
  5. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes. 
  6. To make filling, cook the cheese, sugar, cinnamon, egg and raisins in a saucepan over low heat. Stir for about 10 minutes until mixture becomes thick, like pudding. Mix in lemon juice or lemon peel. Remove from stove and let cool. 
  7. Using a rolling pin or hands, divide the dough ball into three balls. Roll each into a 5-inch circle. 
  8. Place 1/3 cup filling in center of each dough circle. Fold circles in half, enclosing filling. With a fork, press and seal the edges closed. 
  9. Lightly grease or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place empanadas on sheet and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. 
  10. Remove empanadas from oven and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to cool slightly before eating.

Sweet or savory baked (sometimes fried) stuffed pastries are beloved throughout Latin America. Most countries there have a signature style of beef empanada [em-puh-NAA-duh] and a chicken version. Fruit or custard-filled empanadas are a special treat. This recipe makes three cheese-filled empanadas that are more sweet than savory.

Yield: 3 servings
Prep time: 1 hour 
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour 
  • 1 tbsp. sugar 
  • 1 tsp. baking powder 
  • ¾ tsp. salt 
  • ¼ cup shortening 
  • ¼ cup very cold water 
  • ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 
  • ½ cup sugar 
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon 
  • 1 egg 
  • ¾ cup raisins 
  • ¼ tsp. lemon juice or grated lemon peel 
  • sugar for sprinkling

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350˚F. 
  2. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. 
  3. Use fingers, a fork or pastry cutter to quickly mix shortening into flour mixture until it is crumbly. 
  4. Add cold water and quickly squeeze mixture together into a dough ball. Handle sparingly so that shortening doesn't melt. 
  5. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes. 
  6. To make filling, cook the cheese, sugar, cinnamon, egg and raisins in a saucepan over low heat. Stir for about 10 minutes until mixture becomes thick, like pudding. Mix in lemon juice or lemon peel. Remove from stove and let cool. 
  7. Using a rolling pin or hands, divide the dough ball into three balls. Roll each into a 5-inch circle. 
  8. Place 1/3 cup filling in center of each dough circle. Fold circles in half, enclosing filling. With a fork, press and seal the edges closed. 
  9. Lightly grease or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place empanadas on sheet and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. 
  10. Remove empanadas from oven and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to cool slightly before eating.