The empanadas They are typical in Chile, there are them with various fillings, among which the fried ones stuffed with cheese are the favorites and very common in street stalls. Also in homes, the cheese most used to prepare them is the white cheese commonly called chanco, which is produced on Chilean farms dedicated to livestock. This cheese melts when frying the empanadas and is what makes them delicious.
The cheese empanadas They are accompanied with fruit juices, with wine and other drinks. The success when making an empanada is found fundamentally in a good preparation of the dough, which must spread enough so that when frying the empanadas they remain crunchy. The temperature of the oil is also decisive, it should be approximately 400°F or 200°C. Likewise, you should choose the cheese, which should not be too fresh because if it still releases whey it can ruin the experience.
History of Chilean cheese empanadas
the empanada It reached Chile and other countries in the region through the Spanish conquerors. It is said that in Spain they were introduced by the Arabs. Like all, the new culinary customs were mixed with the native ones, resulting in recipes adapted above all to the condiments and products of each country.
In addition, in each of the regions of each of the countries through which the Spanish passed at the time of the conquest, the culinary recipes introduced were changing and thus many variations of the same dish resulted.
It is affirmed that Mrs. Inés de Suárez was the first Chilean woman who, in 1540, prepared pies for some Spaniards who camped on what is now called Cerro Blanco.
Regarding empanadas filled with meat, the Mapuches, before the arrival of the Spanish, already made a mixture seasoning the meat with the ingredients they harvested. They called this mixture "Pirru" which degenerated into what is now called "Pino". The original Pirru changed with the ingredients incorporated by the Spanish, among which stand out, among others, olives.
The Spanish of the time used the Pirru as a variant to prepare their empanadas, enriching it with the ingredients they provided. The current Pino is a mixture basically made up of red meat, onion, olives, raisins, eggs and herbs as condiments.
After those events, the empanada in chili It has not stopped its evolution, each time incorporating new fillings with new flavors that explode on the palates of diners. Among the new flavors incorporated into their fillings over time are cream cheese, Neapolitan, assorted seafood, shrimp with cheese, mushrooms with cheese, meat and cheese, spinach and cheese.
Cheese Empanada Recipe
Ingredients
Cup and a half of flour
¼ kilogram of cheese
Cup and a half of water at medium temperature
Cup and a half of milk at medium temperature
tablespoon and a half of butter
Teaspoon of salt
Enough oil to fry
Preparation of cheese empanadas
- Chop the cheese into very small cubes (the cheese can be grated and thus make it melt more easily when frying the empanadas and it is also better distributed throughout the empanada).
- In a bowl, mix the water, salt and milk. Melt the butter by placing it to the game in a small pot.
- Place the flour in the place of kneading, making a depression in its center where the previously obtained mixture of water, salt and milk is added, kneading until the dough is smooth and smooth. Cover the mass obtained with a cloth or plastic wrap.
- With your hand, make balls each with enough dough for an empanada. Then, as he makes each empanada, he stretches the dough from one of the balls forming a circle until it is approximately 1mm thick.
- Then incorporate in the center of the circle a large spoonful of cheese. Moisten the entire edge of the circle of dough with water and close the contents well by folding the dough in its center. Close the edges of the empanada well by pressing on them with a fork. Put the prepared empanada to fry or gather them on floured surfaces and separated from each other.
- Heat oil to around 350°F or 189° Fry a maximum of 3 patties at a time until golden brown. Finally, when removing the empanadas, place them on a rack to remove the excess oil.
Tips for making a delicious cheese empanada
- Chop the cheese into very small cubes to make it easier to melt during cooking.
- It is very important that the oil has the right temperature 350 °F or 189 °C, if you do not have a thermometer to measure the temperature accurately. You can put a very small ball of the dough in the oil and if it bubbles strongly it is a good sign that the oil is ready to fry the empanadas.
- If the oil is enough, you can fry about three empanadas at a time, if you add a larger quantity, the oil lowers the temperature a lot and the empanadas will not be crispy.
- Ideally, fry the empanadas at the moment they are going to be consumed so that the cheese has not yet solidified.
- Prick the dough of the empanadas with a toothpick before adding them to the hot oil, so that the gases come out.
- The empanadas can be baked or fried.
Did you know….?
Una cheese empanada It has a high nutritional value for the proper functioning of the body.
Cheese provides proteins that contribute to the formation of muscles, vitamin A which strengthens the immune system, it also contains vitamins from the B and D complex and minerals magnesium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus. Each of these components helps the proper functioning of the body. For example, calcium is needed by the body to maintain strong bones and teeth. To fix calcium, vitamin D is needed, which cheese also contains.
The mass provides content, among other things, of carbohydrates which the body transforms into energy.
