Empanadas get their name from the Spanish word “empanar”, which means to fold a dough over a filling.
The small stuffed pockets originated in Spain, but empanadas are eaten all over the world, especially in South American countries.
Empanadas are usually small crescent-shaped empanadillas. But in Galicia in northern Spain, they are often served as one large empanada that is cut into smaller pieces. Each region and continent typically has its own empanada filling, and we choose to go Moroccan with a filling of sweet caramelized onions, raisins, salty lemon, mint and cinnamon.
Recipe Empanadillas – with caramelized onions, salty lemon and raisins
4 persons
20 PIECES.
2 x pie dough with olive oil
2 eggs, divided into whites and yolks
sesame seeds
parsley, picked
Pie dough
125 g wheat flour
75 g spelt flour
1/2 tsp salt
0.5 dl olive oil
1 egg
1-3 tbsp cold water
Filling
1200 g red onion (6 large), sliced
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
75 g raisins
1/4 salt lemon, yellow part of the peel cut into tiny cubes
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp apple vinegar
1 tbsp honey
First make the pie dough. In a mixing bowl, mix the two types of flour with salt, olive oil, eggs and enough cold water to make a smooth dough. Do not knead the dough, just bring it together quickly.
Do not let the dough rest. Roll out immediately to 2-3 mm thickness. Cut 20 squares of 10 x 10 cm and set the pieces aside covered with a clean tea towel while preparing the filling.
For the filling, sauté the red onions in olive oil with a sprinkle of salt for 20-30 minutes in a thick-bottomed pan or until lightly caramelized. Add the raisins, salt, lemon and spices and season to taste with apple vinegar and honey. Set the filling aside.
Brush all dough squares along the edges with a small amount of egg white to ensure that the dough pockets close completely when the dough is folded over the filling. Place a spoonful of the filling in the center of each piece of dough and fold the dough over the filling to form a triangle. Press the edges firmly together with a finger or fork.
Do not use more filling in each empanadilla than the filling pocket can hold.
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Brush each empanadilla with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Bake the parcels for about 15 minutes or until golden. Cool them on a wire rack. Serve on a large platter and sprinkle with parsley or other herbs.
Empanidillas can be frozen once they have cooled down.
Bake the recipe
Photo: PR
The recipe is from the cookbook LØG, written by Henrik Vilain and Ingo Schauser. The couple have written several cookbooks. What they have in common is that all recipes are developed in the kitchen of their finca and training center Garden of Lemons in the Lecrin Valley in Andalusia. Read more about the cookbook LØG.
More Spanish recipes from Garden of Lemons
Find recipes for more delicious dishes developed in the kitchen of the finca in Andalusia. There is both sweet and savory mixed in the three recipes with lemon. And from the Andalusian kitchen you’ll also find recipes with olives. Here are Croquetas with black olives and Grilled whole eggplants with capers, black olives and garlic cream.
