Brick oven empanadas Roasting and Grilling Discuss Brick oven empanadas in the Brick Oven Cooking forums; It's all about balance. I have started eating things I would not have a few years ago -- all in ...

[james]

It's all about balance.

I have started eating things I would not have a few years ago -- all in moderation. We threw out margerine (even the healthy collestoral reducing stuff) and use great imported butter for everything. In moderation. The flavor is great and I am guessing it's better for you.

James

[DrakeRemoray]

I render my own pork lard for tamales. It is better for you than Crisco!
Drake

Homer: Are you saying you're never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Ham?
Lisa: No!
Homer: Pork chops?
Lisa: Dad, those all come from the same animal!
Homer: Heh heh heh... ooh... yeah... right, Lisa. A wonderful... magical animal.

[arevalo53anos]

Feeling like Homer, today :-)

Following, pictures from the last batch of empanadas.
Directions mailed before in this thread.

PavoYEmpanadas in each picture means Turkey and Empanadas, since in the last weekend we had oven roasted turkey with potatoes for dinner on Saturday, normal and big size baked empanadas for lunch on Sunday and chocolate/nut cookies as breakfast.

For filling, follow the directions and see pictures 3, 4, 5 and 6. Reserve in refrigerator until cold (overnight will be ok).

The above directions are referred to meat filling, which is used in the traditional empanada.

I made a second batch with ham, chopped onions (caramelized) and two types of cheese. These were excellent too.

For dough, the pictures 9,10,11,12 and 13 shows the process and the final ‘tapas de empanadas’ (as the individual dough are knew).

The picture 14 show the finishing, see the filling on open tapas, along with an olive in each one, and two finished empanadas.

The edges were finished by pressing with a fork (easy form) or by ‘repulgue’ (traditional and more crunchy).

Baking in oven, picture 18.

On table and closed look, 20, 21.

Ending with a big empanada made with leftover meat and ham filling, something like cream cheese and same dough. Great one!

Please, feel free to ask.



Luis

[arevalo53anos]

This is going gooood!

[arevalo53anos]

Let´s eat!

[DrakeRemoray]

Oh MAN, those look terrific!! Yum yum yum yum yum!

Drake

[james]

WOW. These might win the "Best Food Photo" award for the year. Excellent. I really have to do this.

Luis, how hot was your oven? How long did you fire it and let it cool? That would be helpful.

James

[CanuckJim]

Luis,

Congratulations on fine food and a fine series of pictures. That was a lot of work, and it was very fine of you to share your secrets. These are definitely on my to do list for my oven. Like James, I'd like to know an approx hearth brick or air temp.

Do you deliver?

Jim

[arevalo53anos]

Thanks you all!



You know, baking empanadas, like as pizza, is a matter of individual taste.

There are these that like NY or VPN pizza style, there are those that go by cracker or calzoni ones.

The empanadas dough could use lard (traditional), butter or even fine oil. Traditional or pastry dough is ok, too.

By filling it is possible to use chopped meat, ham and cheese, fish and smashed potatoes or even sweet ones with quince and cheese (traditional too).

Still, the empanadas could be baked or fried (in lard or oil).

The best results, by tradition, are lard dough filled with meat and fried in melted lard.

However, the empanadas in the pictures were very good and for sure deserve a treat.

All this words to say that the best temperature depends in which you empanada type is.

Since I had baked a turkey with potatoes on Saturday night by one hour and forty five minutes at 650/700 °F, the oven had embedded temperature and was not necessary to run a lot of fire to bake the empanadas.

The hearth was nearly of 570 °F and the ambient at 660°F. There was some fire (mostly coal) in the oven, given an ‘elegant’ charred aspect to finished empanadas.

The baking time was between 10 to 15 minutes with a closed eye in the food.

The big empanada take more 5 minutes, because the lot of filling and the pan. With the upper dough a little charred, I was sure that the lower one be ok.



I hope this help.



Luis

[arevalo53anos]

A lot of baking on this week-end.

Tom Lehmann´s, natural leavened marguerite pizza, meat pie (empanada dough), apple pie, corn/cheddar bread, French baggetes and a 9 hour baked rip.

Yum!

Luis