INGREDIENTS:
For the Filling:
- 5 large bananas, diced into small squares
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup apricot jam
- Cinnamon powder, to taste
For the Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg
- approx. 5 tbs water, or enough to make pliable dough
HOW TO MAKE:
- In a bowl, combine the diced bananas, ricotta, cinnamon and apricot jam, then set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F or 190 C.
- To make the dough, add the flour, salt, butter, and egg in to a food processor, and mix on medium until combined.
- Add the water and mix again, the mixture will be crumbly and sandy.
- Turn off the food processor, and take a little bit of the mixture into your fingers and press – if it sticks together, it’s ready to start being kneaded, if not, add a little bit more water.
- Take out of the food processor, and knead by hand – aim to have the dough form a ball, but not feel moist, or sticky.
- Knead for 2 minutes, then cover tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Alternate step: To make the empanada dough by hand, follow the same instruction but use your hands to mix the ingredients together.
- Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas, immediately covering unused areas with plastic wrap.
- Add a small spoonful of the filling into the middle of the disc, then seal the edges by pressing with your fingers. You can crimp the edges with a fork.
- Brush with an egg white, then sprinkle with white sugar and bake on a parchment sheet for 45 minutes, or until golden.
- Remove from oven and serve. Enjoy!
IMAGE: piscotrail.com
Also try: Pinoy Beef Empanada
