Empanada Venezuela is a local delicacy from Venezuela, a country in South America. An empanada is a type of pastry shaped like a crescent and made from flour, spices, and fillings. It is popular among those living in South America and there are various versions of the food. Therefore, Empanada Venezuela is an Empanada made in Venezuela. That is, it is the Venezuelan version of Empanada.
The General Taste of Empanada Venezuela
Empanada Venezuela is generally a crusty pastry that you can crunch, tender, and delicious. It also has the taste of minced beef to add flavor to the pastry. If you don’t like or want beef, you can use cheese, chicken, fish, or do a vegetarian filling. Apart from the general taste, your empanada can have additional flavors known only to you. You can do this by adding your own touch by including your personal recipe to the pastry mixture. This will make your empanada taste more unique. In addition, you can make the empanada dough yourself at home to give the empanada that unique taste. Or you may buy the dough from a store if you don’t have the time or knowledge to make one.
When Can You Eat Empanada Pastry?
You can eat the food for breakfast with your family. It is especially ideal for families with children as it will fill them till lunchtime. It gives children the energy they need to start their day. You can also serve them at parties or get-togethers like children’s parties, birthdays, picnics, and so on. In addition, you can serve empanada as a dessert during lunch or dinner.
Homemade Empanada Pastry Dough vs. Store-Bought Empanada Pastry Dough
Homemade empanada dough
It is relatively easy to make empanada dough and pastry at home. For those who are on a diet or only want gluten-free pastry, then it is better to make it at home. This version is more tasty and better than the store-bought dough. Some chefs even said that their kids eat more when they make Empanada Venezuela from scratch than when they buy the dough. This shows that the children prefer homemade empanada dough to store-bought dough. Likewise, they receive praise whenever they serve homemade Empanada Venezuela at parties.
Store-bought empanada
If you don’t have the time to make the dough, you can purchase the dough from a supermarket near you. After buying, you can put the filling inside, bake, and you are good to go. The store-bought empanada dough is also perfect for those who don’t know how to cook or make dough from scratch. The only disadvantage is that sometimes, it’s not as delicious as homemade empanada dough. Besides, it is too late to add extra ingredients to the dough, as it is pre-made already. This is why most people prefer to make their own dough to give them the taste they want.
Ways of Cooking Empanada Venezuela
You can cook empanada in two ways, either by baking or by frying. Whether you fry or bake, the empanada will come out fine, provided the dough and fillings are good. Many Latin Americans love to fry Empanadas in hot oil. However, for those who want a healthier way of cooking, baking is the right cooking method for them. You can bake in an oven or air fryer.
Baking
After you have prepared the empanadas with the fillings, carefully put them inside an oven tray. Ensure you glaze the tray with a little oil or butter to prevent the pastries from sticking to it. Put the tray filled with the empanadas inside the oven and bake for 25 minutes at about 400° Fahrenheit. Remove them from the oven once they turn into a golden color.
Frying
Find a plate and put paper napkins inside it. The paper is put there to absorb excess oil from the empanada. Then put oil inside a frying pan and allow it to become hot. Put the empanada inside the oil once it is hot. Allow it to fry for like five minutes until the party turns crispy and golden. Scoop out the golden empanadas and put them on the plate that has the napkins.
Storing for further use
You can store pre-made empanadas without frying or baking. You just need to fry or bake them whenever you are ready. But ensure you dust the top and bottom of the pastries with flour to prevent sticking inside the refrigerator. Similarly, you can store fried or baked empanadas to be eaten at a later date. You just need to simply warm the pastries in the microwave, oven, or refry.
A note of warning, when you put empanadas in the refrigerator, do not stack them on top of each other. Empanadas are fragile and prone to breakage, especially if they are not cooked but pre-prepared. So you should be especially careful when you store uncooked empanadas inside the refrigerator.
Conclusion
Lastly, apart from their deliciousness and tastiness, there are several reasons why Venezuelans love Empanada Venezuela. One of the reasons is that they can store uncooked empanadas for long periods. They can store them in the freezer for three or four months before use. Likewise, they can pre-made them and cook them three days later. In addition, empanadas are nutritious because the fillings contain ingredients rich in many nutrients. Another reason is that it is easy to prepare, make, and bake them.
Tags: empanada venezolanaempanada venezolana de quesoempanada venezolana foodempanada venezuelaHomemade empanada doughVenezuela