Empanadas

An empanada is technically a stuffed bread or pastry, with Spanish origins. Depending on which part of the world you're in, the stuffing can vary from tuna to meat to just plain cheese. You can also see a variety of empanada shapes. Mine are semi-circular, sort of shell-like.

I always like to think that an empanada is a complete meal in itself. It has potatoes, carrots, green peas, eggs, raisins, and ground meat. At least that's what my recipe calls for. But you can also choose to stuff it with just the ground meat...or with cheese (yummy!).

But no matter what stuffing you choose, the secret to this sumptious dish is in the crust. The perfect crust is crunchy and flaky with just a hint of saltiness. How to achieve this? The right combination of flour, salt, canola oil and water. When mixing these ingredients, be sure to fold and not stir. Stirring makes the crust hard and chewy.

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Torta

The Boholano Torta is a delicious pastry. It is like a muffin but made with egg yolks, sugar, flour, butter and canola oil. This special combination makes it delightfully light and tasty. I first learned the recipe some 10 or so years ago. Since then I have tweaked the recipe a bit to get just the right combination of softness and taste.

A light sprinkling of granulated sugar on top of the cooked tortas adds a little bit of crunch and sweetness.It is sweet enough to satisfy anyone's sweet tooth, but not too sweet that you won't have the appetite for a second helping...or three...or four.

Here's a little tip: Tortas can last a week in room temperature and still taste as good as the freshly cooked ones. Storing them in the fridge will make the tortas hard and crumbly. Instead, store them in well-sealed container at room temperature. Also, hold the sugar on top of the tortas. Wait until you are ready to eat them before sprinkling the sugar.

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