Inspired by our time in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Sometimes you have something so good when you’re on vacation, you think to yourself, “I would travel all the way back here just to get another plate of this recipe.” It was like that with the empanadas we had in Puerto Rico.

If you have the resources- go there and order yourself some legit empanadas from pretty much any restaurant in San Juan. If you are on a little bit more of a budget, here is a recipe that we have tried, re-worked, tried again, and tinkered with until it was just right. Nothing beats the real thing, but this recipe is close enough so that you get a true empanada experience with every bite.

For The Dough:

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• ¼ Teaspoon Salt
• 6 oz Unsalted Butter (1 ½ Sticks), Chilled & Cut Into 12 Pieces
• 1 Egg
• 4-5 Tbs Water

Instructions:

1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl by hand.
2. Add the butter, egg and water until a clumpy dough forms. (To make it easier to incorporate the butter, freeze it and then grate it into the flour mix).
3. Form a ball, flatten slightly, and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
4. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas (use round molds or a small plate).
5. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator/freezer to use later.

For The Spinach & Cheese Filling:

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Tbsps Olive Oil
• 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 Tsp Chile Powder
• 5-8 oz Fresh Chopped Spinach
• 1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
• 8 oz Queso Fresco Cheese, Shredded Or Crumbled
• 2 tbsps Parmesan cheese, Grated
• Salt & Pepper To Taste

Instructions:

1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan or sauté pan over medium-high heat until melted.
2. Add the minced garlic and chile powder (not cayenne, but red chile powder) and sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant.
3. Add the spinach and sauté until all the greens are wilted. Remove from heat.
4. Stir the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and cooked spinach together.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assembling & Baking:

Instructions:

1. To assemble the empanadas or turnovers, place a spoonful of the filling on the middle of each empanada disc. The amount of filling will vary based on the size of the empanada, but in general, it’s easier to seal an empanada that isn’t overstuffed. Also, the more you make empanadas, the easier it becomes to stuff them to the max and still seal them properly.
2. To seal the empanadas, fold the disc and seal the edges by pressing the dough with your fingers. If you’re having a hard time sealing the edges, you can use brush the inside edges with egg white, it will act as a glue for the empanadas. You can also use a fork to help seal the edges, just press the top of the fork against the edges. There are also empanada molds that you can buy and will help seal the empanadas.
3. For best results, I recommend refrigerating for at least 30 minutes the empanadas before baking – this also helps them seal better and prevents the filling from leaking out.
4. If you want your empanadas to have a nice golden finish, then you can brush them with egg wash (a whole egg whisked or egg yolk plus a few drops of water whisked).
5. Bake the empanadas in a pre-heated oven at 375F-400F, the temperature will vary based on the oven and the size of the empanadas. I bake the smaller sized empanadas at 375F. The baking time also varies but it’s in the range of 18-25 minutes – the empanadas will be ready once they are golden.

Eat & Enjoy!!