One of my good friends down here has two wonderful Mexican roommates. A few months or so ago, we had an afternoon together that we spent making empanadas.
What are empanadas you ask? Well, they are little pockets of doughy-goodness. Usually deep fried, but I have also seen pan fried variations. Toppings and fillings depend on the region of the country. As our master chef Eric is from Vera Cruz (a long state in the eastern side of the country), we made those specific regional empanadas.
Ingredients you will need:
-masa, water, and salt (to make the dough)
-Oaxaca cheese (filling)
-oil (for frying)
-lettuce, avocado, onion, and crema* (topping) *crema is kind of like a really mild Mexican sour cream. It’s not sour at all really, just creamy cream? Like the consistency of syrup, but it’s cream.
Don’t be shy! Shred lot’s of cheese!
I’ve included an english-version (featuring Saki and some Reynaldo), a spanish-version (featuring Eric), as well as a “how to top it and eat it” .
Side effects of this meal include: Post empanada food coma.
It was a wonderful afternoon of great friends and delicious food (and fresh mango water, yum!).