Empanadas Gallega - Daring Bakers Challenge, Sep 2012

 

 

 

Patri of the blog, Asi Son Los Cosas, was our September 2012 Daring Bakers’ hostess and she decided to tempt us with one of her family’s favorite recipes for Empanadas! We were given two dough recipes to choose from and encouraged to fill our Empanadas as creatively as we wished!

This week DBC, am really late -Thanks DB for the one week grace. No more delay, shall we go straight to the recipe then....

Dough Ingredients:

5-1/3 cups (1280 ml) (750 gm) bread flour

2 cups (480 ml) of lukewarm water (about 85°F/30ºC), approximately


1 satchel (1 tablespoon) (15 gm) dry yeast or (1 oz) (30 gm) fresh yeast

2 teaspoons (10 ml) (11 gm) salt

4 tablespoons (60 ml) oil (you can use oil from the pan where you have cooked the filling)

1 large egg, for egg wash

Dough Directions:

 

Shift the flour into a big bowl and make a well in the middle. Rub the yeast in with your fingers.

In a small bowl, mix the water and the salt.

Now, using your fingers or a wooden spoon, start adding the water and mixing it with the flour-yeast mixture. Keep on working with your fingers or spoon until you have added enough water and all the flour has been incorporated and you have a messy ball of dough.

On a clean counter top, knead the dough for approximately 10 minutes

You could do all the above using a stand mixer, in that case mix the ingredients with the paddle attachment until mixed and then switch to a dough hook and knead on low for about 6 minutes.

Clean and oil the big bowl you used for mixing and place the kneaded dough in it. Cover it with a napkin or piece of linen and keep it in a warm, draught-free place for approximately 40 to 50 minutes.

Filling:

Potatoes and peas. Heat a tbsp of oil, let cumin splatter, add boiled potatoes and peas.  Add garam masala, cumin powder, red chili powder to your taste mix well add salt and let it cool. 

Assembling the Empanadas:
Once risen, turn the dough back into a floured counter and cut it in half. Cover one half with the napkin to prevent drying.


Spread the other half of the dough using a rolling pin. You can use a piece of wax paper over the counter, it will make it easier to move the dough around. Depending on the shape of your oven pan or cookie sheet, you will make a rectangle or a round


Now, the thinness of the dough will depend on your choice of filling and how much bread you like in every bite. For your first time, make it about 3mm thin (about 1/10th of an inch) and then adjust from that in the next ones you make.


If you do not want to make a large big one, you can make smaller ones like me.  I was totally inspired from 'Dishes from my kitchen' 


Serve warm along with your favorite soup. It is a great bread to munch for a snack :) enjoy