Empanadas in South Trinidad

Empanadas are fast becoming a  popular food in Trinidad, especially in South Trindiad. At Cross Crossing in the night, empanadas can be bought at Señor Seeche. In Marabella, there is also a restaurant a few buildings before Eat It, that sells some of the tastiest empanadas. Empanadascan be bought at Tamryn's on Mucurpo Road, Port of Spain or at Antojostt at the San Antonio Green market in Santa Cruz. They are also usually sold at Indian Expos in the dome, opposite the Centre of Excellence in Macoya.

Empanadas are like Venezuelan hot pockets or calzones.   They are usually served as appetizers.  Empanada fillings are as varied as Arepa fillings and we use some of the same fillings that we use in Arepas as well.   The most common empanadas are ground beef, shredded chicken, shredded fish.  Then there are the less common empanada fillings in Trinidad (black beans and cheese, and fried plantain and cheese), or combination ones like cheese and beef, or even ham and cheese. 

EMPANADAS RECIPE

What You’ll Need:

- 1 Cup Harina PAN or Promasa  pre-cooked cornmeal
- 1 ¼ Cup Water
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1/3 Teaspoon Sugar
- Vegetable Oil (enough to fry all the empanadas)
- Your already seasoned and cooked Empanada Fillings (beef, chicken, pork, etc.)
- Clear Plastic Wrap (Cling Wrap)
- Bowls

Preparation

1. Just like the Arepas: Add the Harina PAN or Promasa into a mixing bowl, then add the salt and the sugar to the water and stir it.   Now little by little add the water and knead and mix the dough using your hands.  You must knead the dough until the mix is soft, firm and has a uniform consistency without any grains.  
2. Once the dough is ready, make a big ball out of it, and then split into 4 equal parts.
3. Set up your cooking space as shown in the picture below in order to have:
a) Your Dough
b) Your Fillings (I have beef and shredded Queso Blanco cheese here)
c) A bowl with warm water with a little bit of oil in it.
d) A bowl to shape your empanadas with
e) A large enough piece of Cling Wrap

4. Grab one of your four sections of dough and form a ball.
5. Begin to flatten the ball into a disk shape using the entire length of your hands, also use the water with oil to moisten your hands so that the dough doesn’t stick to them.
6. Flatten the ball until it is less than 0.25” thick.
7. Place about two to three tablespoons of your filling right below the center of the circle.
8. With both hands grab the top of the Cling Wrap and carefully fold the circle in two, so that you have a semicircle.
9. Press the Cling Wrap with your fingers over the top dough towards the bottom dough, in order to close the empanada.

10. Now use the extra empty bowl as shown to cut the excess dough and make the famous empanada moon-shape.

11. Open the Cling Wrap and remove the excess dough, which you can add to the remaining dough to make the rest of the empanadas.

Empanada Shape

Open Cling Wrap

Remove Excess Dough

The Perfect Empanada Shape

12. Carefully remove the empanada from the Cling Wrap, so you can make the rest of them.

Carefully Remove from Cling Wrap

13. You can begin to fry them or you can grease a baking tray and bake them at 375 degrees for 20 minutes immediately.

16. Once they are golden, take them out and lay them on paper towels to remove the excess oil (if they were fried).
17. Serve and enjoy.   Be careful, they are hot!