Empanada – a popular dish found across Southern European, Latin American, and Philippine cuisine. This delicious treat is crafted by encasing a selection of fillings within a specially prepared dough. Typically, empanadas are filled with a chosen meat, such as ground pork, chicken, or beef, which is then sautéed with a medley of seasonings and spices, as exemplified in Millie’s mouthwatering ground pork Empanada recipe. The savory meat mixture is meticulously enveloped within the dough before being baked or fried to perfection.
While the process of kneading the dough can be somewhat demanding, the reward is a scrumptious Empanada that’s well worth the effort. So, let’s dive into Millie’s irresistible oven-fresh ground pork empanada recipe and savor the results!
Millie’s ground pork empanada recipe is a crowd-pleaser at any gathering, whether it’s a potluck, family dinner, or a simple snack for a night in. What makes this dish stand out is the combination of flavorful spices that meld together perfectly with the tender ground pork filling.
Her recipe calls for a dough made from a combination of all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. Once the dough has been kneaded to perfection, it is set aside to rest while the filling is prepared. The ground pork is sautéed with onions, garlic, bell peppers, and a mixture of herbs and spices such as cumin, paprika, and oregano. The result is a fragrant and savory filling that’s sure to tantalize your taste buds.
To assemble the empanadas, Millie portions out the dough and rolls it into a thin, circular shape before filling it with the pork mixture. The edges of the dough are then folded and crimped to create a seal before being baked in the oven until golden brown and crispy.
The best part about this recipe is that it’s versatile and can be modified to include different fillings such as chicken, beef, or even vegetables. Whether you’re looking for a hearty snack or a satisfying main dish, Millie’s ground pork empanadas are sure to impress.
Dough Ingredients: 8 empanadas
Crust Ingredients:
2 cups of all purpose flour, extra flour for dusting
2 tbsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. white sugar
3 egg yolks
3 tbsp. melted butter
salt & pepper to taste
4 tbsp. water
Fillings Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground pork or beef
2 medium diced onions
1 1/2 cups carrots in tiny cubes
1 cup green peas
1 cup potatoes in tiny cubes
1 cup raisins
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1/2 medium onion chopped
Filling Procedure:
- Wash and clean all ingredients. Set the stove on to medium heat, apply a teaspoon of cooking oil on the pan, start to fry the garlic, then add onions after 3 minutes. Stir a few times.
- Add the pork, stir and cook until golden brown. Drain excess fat.
- Throw the rest of ingredients starting with potatoes, carrots, peas and raisins within 5 minute intervals. Don’t forget to sprinkle with salt and pepper to season. Set it aside to cool off when cooked. Proceed to the dough making process.
Dough Procedure:
- Mix all ingredients until flaky. Knead the dough until it forms into a ball, then place dough on a bowl, cover it with a clean cloth and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Dust your kneading table with flour. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and place it on a flat surface. Slightly put a punch the dough with your palm to flatten it.
- Apply small amount of flour to the surface of your rolling pin to keep the dough from sticking. Roll it down repeatedly forming a flat round shape, enough to produce 8 round empanada crusts.
- Use medium-large size jar cap if you don’t have any instrument to separately cut a perfect-shaped circle, when creating the crusts. Repeat the same motion till you finish 8 pieces from the dough. In between the process, heat the oven to 400F.
- Add 2 tablespoons or more of the cooked fillings, then close the crust by folding the edges of the dough with your finger tips, creating a form of that of a seashell on its edges, then brush the top of each dough with egg whites.
- Get your large baking sheet ready, brush some butter on its surface to keep the dough from sticking to the pan, or you can apply tin foils and grease.
- Organize the empanadas on the baking sheet, at least 4 inches apart. Baking time takes 30-40 minutes until they’re golden brown. Enjoy every bite of these delicious oven-fresh ground pork Empanadas!
Tip: Although Millie’s oven-fresh, ground pork empanadas are baked, they can also be fried! Your choice.
