Brazilian Empadinhas Recipes

BRAZILIAN EMPADINHAS

Steps:

• DOUGH Cut butter into salt and flour.
• Stir in rest of the ingredients and knead to combine or just process everything until it forms a ball.
• Let rest covered 1 hour Make balls the size of a walnut, from 2/3 of the dough and line small muffin tins with the dough.
• Place 2 tsp. of the cold filling into the lined tins.
• Make small balls with the rest of the dough.
• Flatten them to make lids for the mini pies.
• Brush tops with egg yolk Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
• SHRIMP FILLING Clean and devein shrimp, saving heads and shells.
• Make a broth with the shells and heads and 2 cups water.
• Cook 1 hour, uncovered over low heat. Strain broth and cook it down to 1/2 cup.
• Cook onions and garlic in olive oil until they start changing color.
• Add bell pepper and cook 2 minutes, Add tomatoes, broth and seasonings and simmer almost to a paste. Add shrimp and cook just until they become opaque. Stir in cornstarch diluted in 2 Tbsp water.
• Stir until thick.
• Add parsley.
• Let cool before using
• NOTES : May use other fillings such as chicken, hearts of palms, cheese Miriam Podcameni Posvolsky Rio de Janeiro

BRAZILIAN CHICKEN POT PIE (EMPADãO DE FRANGO)

Steps:

• In a large sauté pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil and, once hot, sauté the onions and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and cook them with the onions and garlic for a couple of minutes, until softened.
• Add the shredded chicken,olives, corn (if using), peas (if using), hearts of palm (if using), tomato sauce, hot sauce and stir to combine. Then, add the chicken broth and the flour dissolved in milk. Lower the heat to medium low and cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid is gone and the filling is creamy and lightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Add the chopped parsley and stir to incorporate.
• Taste for seasoning and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cool completely before assembling the pie.
• Combine the flour and the salt in a large bowl.
• Add the egg yolks and stir using a wooden spoon.
• Then add the butter and use your fingers to work the butter into the flour, until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the water, a few tablespoons of a time, and continue working with your fingers until the dough comes together. You might not need all the water!
• Wrap the dough and chill for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
• When the dough is chill, cut 1/3 of the dough and reserve. Roll out the remaining dough to about 12" round. Place the pastry in a 9-inch spring form pan, making sure the dough also covers the sides (since we have lots of filling!), and prick it all over with a fork.
• Add the cold filling, smoothing it out so its evenly distributed.
• Then, roll out the remaining dough and place it on top of the filling, sealing the pie and tucking the edges.
• Using a knife, make two cuts in the center of the top crust, so that steam can escape while baking.
• Brush the pie with the lightly beaten egg yolk.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and the filling piping hot.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

BRAZILIAN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, salt, and tumeric. Work in the butter and shortening until it has a cornmeal-like consistency. Add the egg and the beer, and work until incorporated. Cover with a wet towel, and rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, saute the onion, tomatoes, and hearts of palm in butter for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft. Deglaze with the Sherry. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oil to 350 degrees F.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls and flatten into rounds approximately 3-inches in diameter. Spoon 1 tablespoon of stuffing onto each round, fold the dough in half, brush edges with egg yolk, and pinch to seal. Fry the empanadas for 4 minutes.

EMPADINHAS (BRAZILIAN SHRIMP PIES)

Steps:

• Make the dough.
• Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
• Place the butter, shortening, eggs, salt, and 1 cup water in the well.
• Using one hand to mix, squeeze these ingredients through your fingers to make a paste.
• Gradually work in the flour, squeezing the dough between your fingers to mix it.
• Add water as necessary: the dough should be quite soft.
• Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
• Prepare the filling.
• Peel and devein the shrimp (my favorite yucky part...).
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
• Sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until soft but not brown.
• Add the shrimp, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, plus water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked.
• Strain the shrimp, reserving the broth.
• Finely chop the shrimp by hand or in the food processor.
• Stir in the flour, peas, and olives.
• Stir in 3-4 tablespoons of the reserved broth: the filling should be moist but not runny.
• Add enough cayenne to give the shrimp mixture a little bite.
• Pinch off cherry-sized pieces of dough and use them to line the tartlet molds.
• Push the dough in with your thumb.
• The dough should just reach over the top of the mold.
• Place a spoonful of filling in each crust.
• Roll out the remaining dough and cut out tops for the empadinhas.
• Try to capture an air bubble when you place the top over the filling: this is what makes the pie light.
• Seal the tartlets by pinching together the top and bottom crust.
• Note: the empadinhas can be prepared ahead to this stage and frozen.
• Preheat the oven to 375° F.
• Brush the tops of the empadinhas with egg glaze.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Unmold and serve.
• If you're lazy like me, try this big pie version, called empadão: make the filling and use Pillsbury pie crusts, one for the bottom and one for the top.
• Fantastic dinner stuff!
• To make chicken empadinhas-------------.
• Cook the chicken and prepare the broth.
• Place the chicken in a small saucepan with the garlic, onion, bay leaf and water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and gently simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
• Drain the chicken, reserving the broth.
• When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and finely shred the meat.
• Discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaf.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
• Sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until soft but not brown.
• Add the chicken, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, plus water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Procede as in step 3 above, stirring in the flour, peas, and olives.
• And so on.

EMPADINHAS DE PALMITO

Steps:

• For the tartlet crusts: In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, oil, egg yolks and butter. Using a spoon or by hand, mix until the dough is no longer sticky. Take a nub of dough about the size of a large marble, place it in a tartlet pan, and press very thinly to cover the inside (thick enough to cover but not so thin that the pan shows through). Pinch off the dough for a clean edge; set aside. Repeat with remaining dough to make twenty tartlet crusts.
• For the filling: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and onions, and sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine flour with 1 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth and blended. Add to saucepan, and stir until beginning to thicken.
• Add remaining 1/2 cup milk, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue stirring until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add hearts of palm, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Divide the mixture among the crust-filled pans, and sprinkle with cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake until tops are lightly golden, about 30 to 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Turn each pan upside down, and the tartlet should fall into your hands upside down and all in one piece. Turn right side up, and serve.

BRAZILIAN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, salt, and turmeric.
• Work in the butter and shortening until it has a cornmeal-like consistency.
• Add the egg and the beer, and work until incorporated.
• Cover with a wet towel, and rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, saute the onion, tomatoes, and hearts of palm in butter for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft.
• Deglaze with the sherry.
• Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
• Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper. Let cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oil to 350°F.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls and flatten into rounds approximately 3-inches in diameter.
• Spoon 1 tablespoon of stuffing onto each round, fold the dough in half, brush edges with egg yolk, and pinch to seal.
• Fry the empanadas for 4 minutes.