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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