It is impossible to talk about Latin American gastronomy without mentioning empanadas, these small and tasty desserts that have always been with us. Each country in the region has its own way of preparation, but Venezuelan empanadas stand out for the possibility they offer us to play with the fillings.
Are you looking to surprise everyone at the table with delicious Venezuelan empanadas full of meat and exquisite flavor? Do not look any further! In this article we will show you the recipe that will make your empanadas end up evoking tradition from the first bite.
Brief history of the origin of Venezuelan empanadas
Empanadas have a particular origin. When we talk about Venezuela, historical records say that Spanish colonizers brought empanadas to the Caribbean. After the conquest, its consumption began to form part of the Venezuelan and Latin gastronomic culture.
Prepare Venezuelan meat empanadas
Both arepas and Venezuelan empanadas are known for having a considerable variety of fillings. However, the most common and easiest empanadas to prepare are cheese empanadas and ground or shredded meat empanadas like the one we will show you today.
Ingredients
- Flour for empanadas (we recommend Bread Flour , you can find it in the Mama Foods virtual store).
- 400 gr. of shredded meat .
- 1/2 red pepper cut into small pieces.
- 1/2 green pepper cut into small pieces.
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped.
- 1/2 tablespoon of cumin.
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika powder.
- Pepper to taste.
- Salt to taste.
- Vegetable oil.
Preparation
- Add the vegetable oil over medium heat until hot. Then add the garlic and onion, let cook for a couple of minutes.
- Then add the red pepper and the green pepper. Let it cook for a few more minutes (maximum 6 minutes).
- Add the minced meat, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika powder and mix. This preparation should be cooked for about 15 more minutes.
- Prepare the dough for Venezuelan empanadas while the filling cooks. Add the Bread Flour to a bowl and salt to taste. Stir. Little by little add the water, mixing it with the flour and knead with your hands. Knead until the mixture is smooth, firm and has a uniform consistency without lumps.
- Make a large ball as soon as the dough is ready. Then divide the large ball into 4 equal parts.
- Form another ball with one of the 4 parts of dough that you have divided. Flatten the ball into a disk shape using the length of your hands. You can use water or oil to moisten your hands and prevent the dough from sticking to them. Flatten the ball until it is a few millimeters thick.
- Put two to three tablespoons of the shredded meat filling right in the center of the dough circle that you just flattened. Next, take the top part of the plastic wrap and carefully fold the circle in half so that you have a semicircle.
- Press the kitchen paper with your fingers on the dough to close the empanada. Next, find an extra empty bowl to cut off the excess dough and create the famous empanada moon shape.
- Remove the excess dough and then the empanada from the paper.
- Fry the Venezuelan empanadas. You will know they are ready when they are golden. Take them out and place them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
And ready! You have to enjoy this dish full of Venezuelan flavor with your family.
Tradition and flavor in one place
You can repeat the recipe that we just showed you with shredded chicken, cheese or any other animal or vegetable protein. Another great fact about Venezuelan empanadas is that they are a great way to reuse leftovers. So, if you had an amazing dinner last night and want to reuse some ingredients, why not test your creativity with delicious empanadas?
You can also visit the Mama Foods online store where you will find the ingredients you are missing to recreate this delicious dish. Or if, on the other hand, you want to save time, you can also find our prepared empanadas that will be as delicious as the ones in this recipe.