There are few foods as globally popular as empanadas. They date back to Spain, where they have been eaten for centuries, as is attested by the fact that a cookbook published in the early 1500s contained empanada recipes. However, it’s likely that humans have eaten empanada-style foods (small, handheld pies) since the invention of dough. These delicious pies can be stuffed with anything from braised beef to seafood, but the dough is the real secret to their success. What should you know about empanada dough from a New Jersey wholesaler?
Light and Crisp
The original Spanish empanada was actually a large, double-crusted pie baked in a pan. In the New World, it evolved into a handheld pie. It also lost the yeast used in the original version, and became something closer to a pastry crust than actual bread.
While there are as many recipes for empanadas as there are geographic regions in the world, most of them focus on creating a light, yet crisp dough. It needs to be thin enough that the filling can be held in place without worrying about it falling out or leaking through the dough, but sturdy enough to make a good contrast with the softer filling.
Today, most empanada dough recipes focus on using wheat flour and butter, or wheat flour and lard if they’re trying to be as authentic as possible. Butter is the healthier option, although there are other ingredients that can be used that lack butter’s heavy dose of fat.
Cooking Empanada Dough
There are several ways that empanada dough can be cooked. Today, they can be baked or fried, depending on the recipe’s nation of origin. For instance, Argentinian empanadas are usually baked, while Venezuelan empanadas are most often deep fried. Both methods work well, but baking is definitely the healthier option (and the one we follow at Chef Select 361). In some areas of the world, empanadas are cooked with actual fire, as they were originally and for much of early history, although this is becoming very rare.
Finding the Right Empanada Dough in New Jersey
Getting empanada dough to the right consistency, and then consistently cooking that dough to rich, golden perfection takes years of practice to achieve. Our chefs at Chef Select 361 are renowned for the quality of their empanada dough, as well as the secret recipes that go into the fillings we use. We invite you to get in touch with us today by calling 973-900-1000.
