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Empanada special
Makes 12 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 12 lightly oiled banana leaves, trimmed to 14cm squares, for rolling
- vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- cane vinegar dip (see recipe)
For the dough
- 90ml vegetable oil
- 1tsp annatto seeds (or ½tsp each turmeric and sweet paprika)
- 150g rice flour
- 150g plain flour
For the filling
- 150g cabbage, shredded
- 100g carrot, shredded
- 1 large brown onion, shredded
- 12 eggs
- 150g longganisa sausage or chorizo sausage, casings removed, meat minced
Method
To make the dough, place the oil and annatto seeds (or turmeric and sweet paprika) into a small saucepan over low heat and heat until just warm. Cool for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and discard the seeds. Cool to room temperature.
Place the flours in a bowl and make a well. Add 120ml water and infused oil to the well and stir until a dough forms, then turn out and knead on a work surface (there’s no need to dust as the oil will keep the dough from sticking) for 3-5 minutes or until pliable. Return to a clean bowl, cover and leave for 1 hour.
For the filling, combine the cabbage, carrot and onion in a bowl. Separate the eggs, being careful not to break the yolks, and set each yolk aside in a separate cup. Add the egg white to the vegetable mixture and combine well.
To make the empanadas, divide the dough, vegetables and sausage into 12 portions. Making one empanada at a time, roll out a portion of dough onto a banana leaf into a nice thin round, about 12cm in diameter. Arrange the vegetable mixture in a circle on the edge of the pastry, leaving a border on the outer edge, then place the sausage in the centre. Carefully place an egg yolk in the centre of the meat, then fold the empanada in half to make a semicircle, pressing the edge to seal well. Set aside on its banana leaf base. Repeat with the remaining dough and fillings.
Fill a large, deep-sided saucepan or wok two-thirds full of oil and heat to 180˚C/350˚F or until a cube of bread turns golden in 15 seconds. To fry, dip the empanadas, one at a time, into the hot oil by holding the banana leaf in the oil until it separates from the empanada. Do not cook the leaf. Fry until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Serve hot with the cane vinegar dip.
Cane vinegar dip
makes about ½ cup
Cane vinegar is coloured, infused with the bark of a special tree and fermented in giant earthenware vats. It is essential with Pinoy food. Use in the empanada special (left).
100ml cane vinegar (can substitute apple vinegar or rice wine vinegar)
3 red or green bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
Combine all ingredients in a small
bowl and set aside until needed.
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