Unimpressed and even disgusted by last year's attempt, I decided to try another recipe for the empanadas today. Last year I chose my recipe based on the anise seeds that are found in the bready part of this pan dulce. I could only find one recipe that used anise, and I didn't look carefully at what else formed the dough to my deep regret. In my mind, there is no food more disgusting than pie crust. Flaky, dry and mostly flavorless, it is a revolting packaging in which to place sweet desserts. The anise flavored recipe was nothing more than pie dough with pumpkin filling. Yuck.
Today's recipe turned out better. I looked for a dough which included yeast, hoping that I would avoid the pie dough recipes and find one for the soft, slightly sweet bread surrounding the creamy pumpkin. With a little tweaking from the original recipe I ended up with creamy pumpkin filling in...a glorified pie crust.
Everyone was satisfied except me, so next year I will be searching out Yucca flour before I try again.
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Failure #2 Empanadas de Calabasas
(in case desperation makes me try this again)
Filling Stir together 1 can of pumpkin, 1/2 C sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp gr. ginger, and 1/8 tsp cloves.
Dough Stir together 2/3 C water, 1/4 C sugar, 1 tsp salt, 2 pkg dry yeast, 1/8 tsp baking powder, 2 generous pinches cinnamon, and 2 tsp anise seeds. Blend in 1 1/2 C flour. Stir in 3/4 C veg shortening and 1/8 C brandy. Stir in remaining flour and let dough rest.
Preheat oven to 350. Divide dough into 16 balls and roll into circles about 4" in diameter. Put filling on one half and fold over, sealing with a fork. Bake 15-20 min, or until golden brown. Watch them carefully since they burn quickly.
3 comments:
That's a different view on pie crust. I just don't like pie because of the texture, and the crust doesn't wow me. Dave has high opinions that it needs to be homemade for perfection. Whatever.
Would empanadas be more like popovers? Sometimes fried?
I like the inside of the pie, but why surround it by something that tastes dry, burnt flour? :) If Dave has a perfect pie crust recipe, I'd be happy to try it to be converted. What's your favorite dessert, Jenn? Some sort of yummy bready something?
I've never had a popover. I don't know what one is. :( I usually describe empanadas as being like turnovers, and I think those I've had are baked. Reading a wide variety of recipes, it looks like sometimes they are fried and sometimes they are filled with a savory filling (like a calzone?).
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!
I have had both empanadas and turnovers and love them both. I like them fried or baked. I love them with meat and cheese or with sweet filling for dessert. Could I just get a whole empanada meal? :)
I LOVE pie dough, pie crust, pie anything really. I found a wonderful pastry dough in The Art of French Cooking. I copied it onto blue graph paper from my mother's copy when I was in college. I have been making it ever since...until wheat allergy boy's intolerance for flour prevented me from continuing to make extra and keep it in the fridge to nibble on. Sounds gross to those who do not see the allure of pie dough.
I did try a GF cookie dough for the pie dough for the apple pie this year. Didn't really turn out well but GF boy really liked the cookies I made today with the left over dough. Have to find something GF to use as pie crust.
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