Whole Wheat Empanadas
If I were to ask what are three of the most universally loved dishes in the world, I am going to get a variety of answers (WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO HEAR THEM IN THE COMMENTS SECTION!!!!). My personal trifecta of favorites would be PIZZA, PASTA and last but not the least EMPANADAS. Having already made the first two I decided to focus on those flaky pastries stuffed with delicious goodies, “EMPANADAS”.
I have wanted to make empanadas for quiet a while but for some reason or the other ended up making something else. This week the final push to make these empanadas was given to me by an extremely unlikely source; an Indian Cooking Show. In the show the host was making “GHUGRES” which are similar to empanadas but from the Gujurat region of western India. At that instant I read a little bit about these delectable little pockets and realized that variations of this dish are found pretty much all over the world.
It’s got a strong presence in my neck of the woods too i.e. India and other parts of Southeast Asia. India itself has got multiple varieties. In the north they are called ‘GUJIYAS” which are sweet and typically made at the time of Holi. In the west they are called “KARANJIS” and are specially made for the king of all festivals i.e. “DIWALI”. To cut a long story short it finally dawned on me how universally loved these empanadas are. So I decided to join in the empanada party by making them myself.
My mind was dead set on making them with whole-wheat flour. Unfortunately the first time I made them they turned out to be a chewy mess. I think pulling teeth out might have been easier than taking a bite of those messy empanadas. (LAUGHS!!!!) Fortunately the solution to that problem was simple, a little semolina turned this mess into a crispy, flaky pastries.
It is very simple dough made up of 5 ingredients; wheat flour, semolina, sesame seeds, salt and water. Mix the 4 ingredients and knead to form firm dough. The dough consistency shouldn’t be so firm that it won’t let you roll. If that happens simply add a little water. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes.
In all the excitement of getting the dough recipe just right I had completely forgotten that I need to make a stuffing for the empanadas. Luckily for me there was this lonely bunch of spinach lying in a corner of the refrigerator that I had completely forgotten about. The next part was adding a little flavor to the spinach.
In a pan heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and green chilies and cook until soft. Mix in the spinach in small increments. After the spinach is cooked sprinkle cumin powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder, garam masala along with tomato puree and stir. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt. Allow the filling to cool.
Divide the dough into 7 equal portions. Take each portion and roll into a smooth ball. On a floured surface roll each ball with a rolling pin into a thin flat disc. Spoon the spinach filling across the bottom third of the dough. Spinach and cheese is a classic combination so you knew I had to top it with shredded cottage cheese/paneer. Brush the edges with water. Gently bring together the ends. Press the edges with a fork to make a tight seal.
Heat oil in a frying pan on a low heat. Once the oil is hot gently slide in the empanadas and fry till golden brown on both sides.
These savory hot pastries can be enjoyed all by themselves or with any chutney of your choice. My personal favorite for a dipping sauce is a creamy coconut chutney. The spicy flavors of the empanada pair well with the sweet coconut chutney.
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Whole Wheat Empanadas
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 tsp Semolina
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
- Salt as per taste
- Water for kneading
Stuffing
- A bunch Spinach
- 1 small Onion chopped
- 1 Serrano Chili finely chopped
- ½ tsp Cumin Powder
- ½ tsp Coriander Powder
- ¾ tsp Dry Mango Powder/Amchur Powder
- ½ tsp Garam Masala
- 2 tbsp Tomato Puree
- Salt as per taste
- Grated Paneer/Cottage Cheese as required
- Oil for frying
Instructions
For dough :
- Combine wheat flour, semolina, sesame seeds, salt and mix. Add water and knead to form a firm dough. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes.
For the filling :
- In a pan heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and green chili and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Mix in the spinach in small increments.
- After the spinach is cooked add cumin powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder, garam masala and stir.
- Cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Season with salt. Allow it to cool.
Empanada Assembly
- Divide the dough into 7 equal portions and roll each portion into a smooth ball.
- On a floured surface roll each ball into a thin flat disc.
- Spoon the spinach filling across the bottom third of the dough. Top it with shredded paneer. Brush the edge with water. Gently bring together both the ends. Press the edges with a fork to make a tight seal.
- Heat oil in a frying pan on a low heat. Once the oil is hot gently slide the empanada and fry till golden brown on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper.
- Serve hot. Enjoy.
Notes
2. You may also bake the empanadas, place them on a greased baking tray, brush the top with oil and bake at 350F for 20 minutes or till golden brown on both sides
So glad this came up in my FB feed! They look amazing, and I definitely want to try them, Rahul. Pasta is definitely high on my list, with a close second being risotto… maybe empanadas will become third!
Rahul, I completely agree that empanadas would be in this Favorite Food Trifecta. Haha. Honestly, who wouldn’t want to eat a warm, crispy pocket full of deliciousness? And, for real though, I’ve been there with the whole wheat. It’s a testy and tricky ingredient, indeed! I love that you used semolina to transform this recipe into the crispy, flaky empanadas you were looking for. Lovely recipe. 🙂
I am totally with you on this one. If you just google empanadas, you find that variations are made in a bunch of different countries. And the best part; you can stuff your favorite foods in it. 🙂 As for the semolina use, then it was my mom who made that suggestion. Only good things when you listen to your mom. RIGHT!!!!
I love empanadas!! they are a favorite in my house!! and your recipe sounds wonderful!
I have had a sweet version of this growing up. So a savory version was a nice change..
I adore empanadas! I can not wait to try your recipe! The filling sounds wonderful and really different then anything I’ve tried before. Also, your crust looks like it comes out perfect!
Speaking of other culture’s versions of empanadas… My family is Jamaican and we do Jamaican patties. They are usually stuffed with a spicy beef mixture and the crust has a lot of turmeric added to it, so they are a nice bright yellow. 🙂
Thanks Michelle for telling me about the jamaican patties. I have never put turmeric in any kind of dough before. So I am definitely curious to make it and see how it turns out..
Empanadas are the best! I haven’t tried a whole wheat variety – must try soon 🙂
I agree Megan. You can fill the empanadas with pretty much anything and they still taste good. 🙂
These would look so good on my table!
Nice post!
Thanks David..
My love for empanadas runs deep and these look delicious! LOVE the whole wheat crust! Cheers!
Thanks Cheyanne. This was the first time I made them and I immediately realized why people everywhere love them so much. 🙂
WOW! Looks super delicious. YUMMY!
Thanks Kushi…
Rahul, the empanadas look amazing. I love empanadas too. Just curious to know if you have tried baking them. Of course, the fried ones taste yummy:)
Sandhya, I did try baking them too. The problem was my apartment oven is not good enough to give me a crust as good as the one I got by deep-frying them.
Hi Rahul – I love that these empanadas have a whole wheat crust. It’s so interesting that savory stuffed pastries are cooked all over the world. In Ireland we make hand held Dingle pies which are pastries stuffed with lamb and vegetables – not as spicy as an Indian version, but delicious all the same. Thanks so much for this great recipe.
It is good to know that there is an Irish variation too. You would be amazed Mairead at how many other variations are there all over the world.
P.S I am going to try and find a recipe for the Dingle Pies you mentioned…
These Empanadas look absolutely delicious! Yum!
Thanks. Do try it..