Empanadas Venezolanas
Empanadas Venezolanas is a crescent-shaped pastry, made from corn flour. It has a tender, crunchy crust with a delicious hearty mixture of ground beef. This easy homemade pastry is the perfect party food or the perfect breakfast which makes you full, and ready to start the day with full energy. Not to mention, this version of empanadas is gluten-free.
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Plastic Bag I used a Ziploc bag.
- 1 Medium Size Plate or a wooden pin for spreading the dough
- 1 Large Size Frying Pan
- Paper Towel
Ingredients
- 1½ cups cornmeal
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1½ cups water
Instructions
- In a medium size bowl, add the cornmeal, all-purpose flour (or cornstarch), and salt. Add the water and mix until all the ingredients all combined, then knead well by hand until you get a soft dough, like plasticine.
- If the dough is too dry, add more water and if it is too runny, add more cornmeal. Let it rest for about 10 minutes.
- Take a portion of the dough and make a ball, and place it on the flour-sprinkled plastic. I used a Ziploc plastic bag.
- Spread the dough by a plate or board. Some people do it by hand. But I prefer to spread it with a medium size plate.
- Place a spoonful of filling in the center and fold it into a crescent shape, with the plastic help.
- You can use a container to shape and cut the empanada, this helps to keep them the same size and the edges are well sealed so that the filling does not come out.
For Frying
- Fry the empanadas in hot oil for approximately 4-5 minutes, until they look golden in color and crispy.
- Transfer to a plate with a paper towel to absorb the oil.
In The Oven
- Bake the empanadas at around 400° F for about 20-25 minutes, until they look golden brown.