Galician Vegetarian Empanada / Empanada Gallega Vegetariana

An empanada[empaˈnaða] also called pastel in Brazilian Portuguese and pate in Haitian Creole) is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries in Latin Europe, Latin America, the Southwestern United States, and parts of Southeast Asia. The name comes from the Galician, Portuguese, and Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.               Galicia is an autonomous Community located in the northwest of Spain, right on top of Portugal.  The cuisine of Galicia is well known for its variety and quality of its products.  The Galician empanada is a variety of a very popular stuffed bread in Galician cuisine and is part of its identity. It is a culinary preparation offered in the municipalities of Galicia on the occasions of celebration. Nowadays it is baked all around Spain. ( Info Wikipedia & Thermofan).

The dough is thin and made with wheat or corn flour, not cornstarch (similar or the same used for making bread). It’s usually prepared with the fillings you can imagine: fish, seafood, veggies or meat and a mixture or vegetables called “zaragallada”. It can also be baked with sweet fillings. It’s delicious.

This delicious recipe was suggested by Marisa of Thermofan for Baking Partners started by Swathi Iyer.  I have tried with circle and rectangle shape with same filling and it turned out great.  Thanks Marisa for this wonderful recipe..

Preparation time: 60 ~ 90 minutes or more depending on how fast you make ( Time includes dough making, preparing veggies for filling and assembling empanada)

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Proofing time: 45 minutes ( this may vary depends on the temperature you live)

Baking time: 30 minutes or more depends on your oven

Serves:  6 ~ 8

Adapted from Thermofan

½ tsp / 2.5 gms sugar

1 tsp / 5 gms instant yeast or 7 g fresh yeast

2 cups/ 250 gms all-purpose (plain) or bread flour (You can substitute a little bit of plain flour with whole wheat)

2 tbsp / 30 ml zaragallada’s oil or olive oil or any cooking oil (oil from the pan where you have cooked the filling)

1 tsp / 5 gms salt or to taste

1. In a bowl dissolve yeast into 100 ml warm water. Add sugar, mix and let it stand for 5 minutes.

2. Meantime sift the flour and salt in a big bowl.  Make a well in the center and pour in the mixture of water and yeast, 2 tbsp of oil (zaragallada’s oil or olive oil) and water, little  by little until the mixture forms a slightly sticky (but not wet) and elastic dough.(*)

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly. Gradually, you can handle the dough faster, until the dough is smooth and elastic. This process takes about 15 minutes. Let it rest halfway through, knead lightly about 7 minutes, let it rest 5 minutes and then knead another 7 minutes. Or use stand mixer for this process.

4.  Form a ball and place on a floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough ferment for about 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

5. To check the correct consistency of the raised dough by gently pressed with your fingertip. When the process is complete, the mark made with the finger gradually disappear. If the dough has not finished fermenting, the mark will disappear immediately.

3 tbsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 medium size onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

9 ~ 10 green beans, chopped

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste ( I used freshly shredded ginger garlic)

½ cup meal maker / soya chunks ( you can chop them if you want)

3 medium size potatoes, cooked

Handful of spinach, chopped

1 tbsp mix of red chill powder & coriander powder or curry powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

Mint and cilantro as needed

Salt to taste

 

6.  Wash all the veggies and finely chop them. Cook potatoes in boiling water.  Peel and mash it. Keep it aside.

7. Cook meal maker in 1 cup of boiling water for 5 minutes. Turn of the heat allow it to cool, drain the water and keep it aside.

8. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add cumin seeds, let it splutter, then add onion. Fry over medium heat until the onion is transparent.

9. Add chopped carrots and beans, saute till it become soft, say for 8 ~ 10 minutes over medium heat.

10. Throw in meal maker and mix it. Then add ginger garlic paste. Saute for few seconds and followed by curry powder, turmeric powder and salt.

11. Cook over medium heat till raw smell from masala escape. Then add mashed potatoes and cook for few minutes, Check for salt and spice. Add if needed.

12. Add  chopped spinach, mint leaves, cilantro.  Mix and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool the mixture to room temperature.

13. Preheat the oven to  180 ºC / 350°F. Line the tray with parchment paper.

14. Slightly flour the working surface and transfer the dough from the bowl. Gently press on the dough  and divide dough in half. ( I divided it into 4).

15. On silpat mat ( it make job easier) or on working surface,  Roll out one half of dough really thin and make a circle or any shape and size ( I used kids plate and lunch box) and place it on the baking paper. If the dough shrinks wait 10 minutes to relax and stretch again. The thinness of the dough will depend on your choice.

16. Spoon the cooled filling into the center and spread it out towards the edge, leaving a 2cm/1in border all the way around.

17. Roll out the remaining dough (slightly smaller than the base) and gently transfer it over the filling. Peel off the baking paper or silpat.

18. Using you fingers, pinch edges to seal. You can also do this with a fork or a cutter as I did.

19. Now using your creativity, play with left-over dough to decorate the empanada. You can see what I did with my empanadas. With help of water you can stick the ornaments over the empanada.

( I made small slit in the top before keeping the ornament to allow the steam to escape and helps baking without breaking the top layer.)

20. Brush the empanada with milk using pastry brush.

21. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown (depending on your oven). Check that the bottom part is perfectly baked; let it cool on a cooling rack and then cut into wedges.

 Galician Vegetarian Empanada /  Empanada Gallega Vegetariana

Preparation time: 60 ~ 90 minutes or more depending on how fast you make ( Time includes dough making, preparing veggies for filling and assembling empanada)
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Proofing time: 45 minutes ( this may vary depends on the temperature you live)
Baking time: 30 minutes or more depends on your oven
Serves:  6 ~ 8
Adapted from Thermofan

For Dough:  

Ingredients:

175 ml / 6oz lukewarm water
½ tsp / 2.5 gms sugar
1 tsp / 5 gms instant yeast or 7 g fresh yeast
2 cups/ 250 gms all-purpose (plain) or bread flour (You can substitute a little bit of plain flour with whole wheat)
2 tbsp / 30 ml zaragallada’s oil or olive oil or any cooking oil (oil from the pan where you have cooked the filling)
1 tsp / 5 gms salt or to taste

Preparing Empanada  dough
1. In a bowl dissolve yeast into 100 ml warm water. Add sugar, mix and let it stand for 5 minutes.
2. Meantime sift the flour and salt in a big bowl.  Make a well in the center and pour in the mixture of water and yeast, 2 tbsp of oil (zaragallada’s oil or olive oil) and water, little  by little until the mixture forms a slightly sticky (but not wet) and elastic dough.(*)
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly. Gradually, you can handle the dough faster, until the dough is smooth and elastic. This process takes about 15 minutes. Let it rest halfway through, knead lightly about 7 minutes, let it rest 5 minutes and then knead another 7 minutes. Or use stand mixer for this process.
4.  Form a ball and place on a floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough ferment for about 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
5. To check the correct consistency of the raised dough by gently pressed with your fingertip. When the process is complete, the mark made with the finger gradually disappear. If the dough has not finished fermenting, the mark will disappear immediately.

Preparing Vegetable Filling /(zaragallada): 
(Can be prepared with your choice of vegetables or meat or mix of both with or without boiled eggs)
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium size onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
9 ~ 10 green beans, chopped
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste ( I used freshly shredded ginger garlic)
½ cup meal maker / soya chunks ( you can chop them if you want)
3 medium size potatoes, cooked
Handful of spinach, chopped
1 tbsp mix of red chill powder & coriander powder or curry powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Mint and cilantro as needed
Salt to taste


Method
6.  Wash all the veggies and finely chop them. Cook potatoes in boiling water.  Peel and mash it. Keep it aside.
7. Cook meal maker in 1 cup of boiling water for 5 minutes. Turn of the heat allow it to cool, drain the water and keep it aside.
8. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add cumin seeds, let it splutter, then add onion. Fry over medium heat until the onion is transparent.
9. Add chopped carrots and beans, saute till it become soft, say for 8 ~ 10 minutes over medium heat.
10. Throw in meal maker and mix it. Then add ginger garlic paste. Saute for few seconds and followed by curry powder, turmeric powder and salt.
11. Cook over medium heat till raw smell from masala escape. Then add mashed potatoes and cook for few minutes, Check for salt and spice. Add if needed.
12. Add  chopped spinach, mint leaves, cilantro.  Mix and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool the mixture to room temperature.

Assembling the empanada:
13. Preheat the oven to  180 ºC / 350°F. Line the tray with parchment paper.
14.  Slightly flour the working surface and transfer the dough from the bowl. Gently press on the dough  and divide dough in half. ( I divided it into 4)
15. On silpat mat ( it make job easier) or on working surface,  Roll out one half of dough really thin and make a circle or any shape and size ( I used kids plate and lunch box) and place it on the baking paper. If the dough shrinks wait 10 minutes to relax and stretch again. The thinness of the dough will depend on your choice.
16. Spoon the cooled filling into the center and spread it out towards the edge, leaving a 2cm/1in border all the way around.
17. Roll out the remaining dough (slightly smaller than the base) and gently transfer it over the filling. Peel off the baking paper or silpat.
18. Using you fingers, pinch edges to seal. You can also do this with a fork or a cutter as I did.
19. Now using your creativity, play with left-over dough to decorate the empanada. You can see what I did with my empanadas. With help of water you can stick the ornaments over the empanada.
( I made small slit in the top before keeping the ornament to allow the steam to escape and helps baking without breaking the top layer.)
20. Brush the empanada with milk using pastry brush.

Baking:
21. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown (depending on your oven). Check that the bottom part is perfectly baked; let it cool on a cooling rack and then cut into wedges.

                              www.sarasyummyrecipes.com

Sending this to Baking Partners for this month challenge.