Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

• 1 green plantain
  
• 1/2 red onion (cut in 1/4-inch strips)
  
• Cheese (any cheese that does well with heat like Queso Fresco or mozzarella)
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• Salt

Masa (dough) Ingredients

• 3 cups flour (plus more for sprinkling and dusting)
  
• 1/4 cup or 1/2 stick butter/lard (the colder the better)
  
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 cup ice water
  
• Oil for frying

Directions

Filling 

• Boil the plantain.
  
• While the plantain is boiling, sauté the onion in olive oil until caramelized.
  
• Set onions aside.
  
• When the plantain is fork-tender, drain the water and reserve the liquid.
  
• Mash the plantain, adding the liquid as necessary (it should be the consistency of mashed potatoes).
  
• Add olive oil and salt to taste and set aside.
  
• Set cheese to the side along with mashed plantains and onions.
  

Masa (dough) 

• Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  
• Cut the butter/lard into small pieces and add to the dry ingredients.
  
• With your hands, work the butter into the flour until the batter is uniformly like bread crumbs.
  
• Add the cream and water.
  
• Keep mixing and kneading until well mixed, adding flour or more ice water as needed.
  
• It should make a nice dough ball.
  
• Divide the dough in half and refrigerate one half while you work with the other half.
  
• Don’t overwork the dough, or the butter will melt and change the consistency and texture.

Empanada 

• Grab a small piece of dough and make a ball.
  
• Flour your workspace and roll the ball out thin to the size of a softball.
  
• Fill with a tablespoon or so of filling.
  
• Add a bit of cheese and onions in the center.
  
• Fold the dough over to make a half-circle and crimp the edges with a fork.
  
• Repeat this process with all the remaining dough and filling.
  
• Heat oil for frying in a large pot.
  
• Fry empanadas until golden brown.
  

#snack #vegetarian

Recipe submitted by Hannah Kelley-Bell - Peace Corps Volunteer, Costa Rica (2010-2012)

Photo courtesy of Ryan Champiny - Peace Corps Volunteer, Mexico