Shrimp Empanadas
Ingredients
Empanada Dough:
1/2 cup cold water1 large egg (white only)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 cups all-purpose flour (more as needed)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons shortening
Shrimp Filling:
8 ounces tomato sauce. chunky
2.5 tablespoons sofrito
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, cleaned, and cut into small pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups shredded cheese, pepper jack or Colby Jack
Peanut oil, for frying
Instructions
Make the Dough:
In a medium bowl add wet ingredients, water, egg, egg white, and vinegar. Beat together and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
Use a a fork to cut the shortening into the flour mixture. The mixture should be crumbly.
Form a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour in the wet ingredients, and mix until a dough forms.
Knead dough until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Make the Shrimp Filling:
Over medium heat, bring the sofrito and chunky tomato sauce to a simmer in saucepan.
Season shrimp with salt and pepper and add to saucepan.
Cook until shrimp are opaque, about 2-3 minutes.
Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the shredded cheese.
Allow the filling to cool completely before using it to fill the empanadas.
Assemble and Fry the Empanadas:
After the dough has chilled, roll it out on a floured surface to approx. 1/8 inch thick.
Use a round 3-6 inch cutter to slice the dough into circles. Gather and re-roll any leftover dough as necessary.
Place a spoonful of the shrimp filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over into a half-moon shape and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
Heat a few inches of oil in a large, heavy-duty pot to medium high heat.
Fry the empanadas in batches, cooking for 1-2 minutes per side, until golden.
Drain on paper towels or wire rack and let cool slightly before serving.
