Empanadas are a staple in Latin America, especially Argentina. This recipe is a twist on the traditional corn filling, with basil and tomatoes. They're super flavorful and delicious and I use my fantastic pie crust for the dough.
Empanadas (hand pies or turnovers) are a big thing here. They are a dish shared among friends, and on weekend nights, when you don't know what to eat, you order empanadas and call it a day.
We have all said, at one time or another, 'We'll just order some empanadas' whenever there's a gathering with friends on the horizon, and there's no one to cook.
What are empanadas?
They are fried or baked turnovers consisting of pastry and a filling.
The pastry was originally made with lard, and though some still make it that way, nowadays there are simple ones made with oil, butter, or something in between. I use my favorite pie crust because the result is amazing and flaky and delicious!
We have a wide variety of fillings, meat and ham/cheese being the most popular, but also chicken, cheese/onion, Caprese, corn, spinach, and many others.
These empanadas are simple to make because they can be made in steps.
Any store-bought pie dough can be used, and the shape of the empanadas can vary, like pop tarts, for example, making it easier to cut them from a piece of rolled dough.
You can also use whole wheat or flavored pie doughs. Each type of dough has its own qualities, so they will have different textures and looks.
The corn filling
I kept it very simple.
I start with a white sauce, which is equal parts butter and flour cooked with milk until a thick sauce happens.
This beautiful sauce is enriched with corn, tomatoes, onion, and basil (image below).
This corn basil filling is very flavorful, and you won't miss the cheese one bit. If you want it spicy, add some cayenne or red pepper flakes. Cumin is another spice that goes well with it.
The thing with these corny pockets is that they can be eaten warm or at room temperature.
They don't have cheese, though you're very welcome to add some parmesan or gruyere to it, then you would have to eat them hot.
Tips for making empanadas
- Make the dough ahead and freeze the dough discs.
- Make the white sauce ahead. It keeps in the fridge for a week and frozen for a month.
- Make sure you close the edges well so the filling doesn't spill during baking. The easiest way is to bind both edges with some water (the dough sticks well) and then press with the tip of a fork creating indentations. It will be sealed.
- Or assemble the empanadas and freeze them, unbaked, for a month. To bake, transfer them to a baking tray without defrosting and bake in a 350ºF oven.
- If you want a glossy finish, brush the top of the empanadas with egg mixed with a bit of milk.
One last thing
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Corn Empanadas
Ingredients
- 1 recipe pie dough, pie crust recipe
For the filling:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 6 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and defrosted
- ⅓ cup chopped basil, loosely packed
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, loosely packed, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt , or to taste
- pinch black pepper, or to taste, freshly ground
Instructions
For the pie dough:
- Cut the chilled dough into small pieces, between a walnut and a golf ball.
- Make little rounds and roll them on a floured surface trying to keep the round shape as much as possible, until you have 6-inch rounds.
- Keep refrigerated, well covered so they don't dry out.
For the filling:
- Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in a pan, add ½ cup finely chopped onion and cook, without browning, until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle 6 tablespoons flour and stir to mix with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 or 4 minutes, until barely starting to color.
- Add 1 cup milk slowly while stirring constantly. Let it come to a boil and remove from the heat.
- Add 6 cups corn kernels, ⅓ cup chopped basil, ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, ½ teaspoon salt and large pinch black pepper or to taste. Mix thoroughly and let cool completely.
To assemble:
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
- Put 3 or 4 tablespoons of the filling on each dough round. Don't overdo it with the filling or they might burst during baking. If it's your first time, you can do a test run with a few empanadas.
- Moisten the edge of the dough lightly with water and close, pressing the dough together. Flute the edges with a fork or your hands and arrange the empanadas on a buttered baking tray.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and dry.
- Transfer to the serving platter and eat hot or warm.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Paula,
oh my goodness!! These hand pies look so AMAZING! So beautiful!!! and delicious! I am going to try this recipe!! And I love that these are vegetarian! 🙂 LOVE this!!!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Wow, what a unique empanada!
Laura Hunter says
Oh these sound fabulous. I bet they would make a perfect starter.
Kris Adair says
This sounds delightful! I love a meal I can take with me and not worry about heating up. This is a must try.