VEG. & CHEESE BAKED EMPANADAS

Empanadas are baked or fried delights popular in Spanish & Latin American cuisines. In an empanada, bread dough or shortcrust pastry encases a flavourful filling.

While I have always used refined flour to make my baked empanadas, the arrival of AASHIRVAAD ATTA with MULTIGRAINS in my kitchen instigated me to try my hand at using this multi-grain flour in the recipe. This flour promises the wholesome goodness of not just 1 or 2 but 6 grains - wheat, oats, maize, soya, psyllium husk & channa over the not-so-healthy option of refine flour. While the multi-grain flour lacked the elasticity of refined flour, it did impart more crispiness to my empanadas.

Ghughra is the closest desi comparison we can make to empanadas so I have used its popular filling ingredients of green peas & potatoes along with grated cheese to make the stuffing for my empanadas.
 
Here is my recipe to arrive at delectable emapanadas:

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Makes: 5-6 large empanadas
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 45-60 minutes
 
INGREDIENTS
For the filling:
1 cup Green peas, boiled 
1 cup Potatoes, boiled, peeled & brunoised (cut in small cubes)
1 tbsp Oil
½ tbsp Garlic, finely chopped
1 Green chilli (medium), finely chopped 
5-6 Curry leaves
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Red chilli powder
¼ tsp Turmeric powder 
¼ tsp Cumin seeds powder
¼ tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
1 tsp Fresh lemon juice
½ cup Cheese, grated
 
For the covering:
1 cup Aashirvaad Atta with Multigrains  
⅓ cup Water
2 tbsp Oil
¼ tsp Salt
Milk for giving a milk wash
Black sesame seeds for garnish 
 
METHOD:
For the filling:
1. Heat oil in a pan on medium flame.
2. Add the garlic, green chillies to the oil once it's hot and fry for about 30 seconds.
3. Add curry leaves and fry for another 30 seconds.
4. Add all the dry spice powders, sugar, salt and fry until appears on the sides.
5. Stir in potatoes, green peas and stir fry for about 2 minutes.
6. Pull off the stove, sprinkle lemon juice and mix well. Keep aside for mixing with grated cheese later.
 
For the covering:
1. Combine all ingredients except milk and make a dough like you do for a roti.
2. Cover the dough with damp cloth and keep aside for 10 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 5-6 equal dough balls.
4. Roll the dough balls out into thin sheets of chapati like round shapes. Keep these too covered with damp cloth.
 
For assembling & baking empanadas:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place one rolled out sheet on a flat surface. Towards one end leaving half centimetre distance from the border place about 2 tbsp of the vegetable filling and 1 ½ tbsp of grated cheese covering only 1/3 rd area of the sheet.
3. Dab water with a finger or brush all around the edges of the sheet.
4. Lift the other end of the sheet (opposite to where the filling has been placed) & place it over the end having the filling thereby covering the filling entirely and giving a crescent or half-moon shape to the empanadas.
5. Press the borders of the sheet lightly to ensure the empanada is sealed.
6. Make markings with the back of the fork all around the edges of the empanadas.
7. Repeat the process with all the sheets.
8. Line a tray with silver foil & place the empanadas on it.
9. Brush milk evenly over each empanada and sprinkle it with black sesame seeds.
10. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until you get a light golden colour on the empanada coating.
11. Remove from oven and serve hot with ketchup & mint-coriander chutney.
 
So, do try out this recipe and let me know how it turned out.
 
Till then, HAPPY COOKING...