El Fogón de Frakie

Empanadillas have been my second-favorite appetizer, right behind cheese dogs, since I was a kid. Back then, during school recess, I’d grab a cheese dog, an empanadilla de pizza, or a beef one and wash it down with a cold Coca-Cola or a sweet Cola Champagne. The best part? You can fill them with just about anything. Even when I travel to Puerto Rico, that is the first thing I do is buy and eat empanadillas.

 

Ingredients:

 

For the dough:

 

• 2 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt ( to taste)
• 1 tbsp Sugar (gives it that classic slightly sweet contrast)
• 2 Egg yolks
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup Warm water (added gradually as you noted)

 

Fill it with:

 

• Pizza,
• carne ( meat)
• Pollo ( chicken)
• Cerdo ( pork)
• Queso ( cheese),
• Seafood ( mariscos)
  • Camarones ( shrimp)
  • Pulpo (octopus)
  • cangrejo (crab)

 

Methods:

 

• For the meat, chicken, pork, and seafood (cook it) fisrt.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
• Add the egg yolks and vegetable oil to the dry mixture. Gradually add the water, a little at a time, mixing until you reach a smooth consistency. It should be pliable, not too liquid or too stiff.
• Let the dough rest for at least one hour. This is a key step; it makes the dough much easier to handle and improves the final texture.