Ingredients
- 1 cup masa harina (available in Mexican or Latin American markets)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Southwest seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
- 1 1/2 cups filling of your choice (such as crab or spicy beef)
- 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water, for egg wash
Directions
Combine masa harina, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, Southwest seasoning, salt and 3 turns pepper in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. Cream in shortening with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add about 1 cup water, a little at a time, working dough until all water is completely incorporated. Use just enough water to make dough come together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 12- by 3-inch log. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide log into 4 equal sections, each about 3 inches long. Carefully roll out each section between sheets of plastic wrap to an 8-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Handle dough with care to keep from cracking. Brush top sides of rounds with egg wash. Mound filling in center of each round and fold dough to form a half-moon shape. Crimp edges with a fork and brush with remaining egg wash. Transfer empanadas to a parchment or wax-paper-lined baking sheet and bake 35 minutes until golden.
















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By Karla Cepeda
Hauula, HI
on February 16, 2011
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This recipe was NOT worth the effort.. the end result just tasted like a corn tortilla. My husband is from Argentina, so i've had many empanadas and the dough is nothing like this. Also and 8 in circle is WAY TOO big! we're not asking for a tortilla recipe!!
By pamdevone
El Paso, Texas
on November 29, 2009
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The dough is absolutely fabulous, I just wish the empanadas were smaller. Thanks Emeril!
By kristenc687_122...
Miami, FL
on October 15, 2009
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I absolutely LOVE this recipe!! It's soo good!! It's even better than the "real deal" empanada dough you can get at Latin American bakeries. It's much crunchier and as a result has much less of an oily feel to it. I have made this recipe a thousand times with a spicy beef filling and it has always been a great hit! Just make sure to season the dough well, that is the key! I use a mixture of onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, lots of chilli pepper, cumin, and some cayenne pepper.
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